Drag balance Cubesat attitude motion effects on in-situ thermosphere density measurements

The dynamics of Cubesats carrying a drag balance instrument (DBI) for in situ atmosphere density measurements is analyzed. Atmospheric drag force is measured by the displacement of two light plates exposed to the incoming particle flow. This system is well suited for a distributed sensor network in orbit, to get simultaneous in situ local (non orbit averaged) measurements in multiple positions and orbit heights, contributing to the development and validation of global atmosphere models. The implementation of the DBI leads to orbit normal pointing spinning two body system. The use of a spin-magnetic attitude control system is suggested, based only on magnetometer readings, contributing to making the system simple, inexpensive, and reliable. It is shown, by an averaging technique, that this system provides for orbit normal spin axis pointing. The effect of the coupling between the attitude dynamics and the DBI is evaluated, analyzing its frequency content and showing that no frequency components arise, affecting the DBI performance. The analysis is confirmed by Monte Carlo numerical simulation results.     

Improved kHz-SLR tracking techniques and orbit quality analysis for LEO missions

Satellite gravity field missions such as CHAMP, GRACE and GOCE are designed as low Earth orbiting spacecraft (LEO) with orbit heights of about 250–500 km. The challenging mission objectives require a very precise knowledge of the satellite orbit position in space. For these missions precise orbit information is typically provided by GPS satellite-to-satellite tracking (SST) observations supported by satellite laser ranging (SLR).     

超低轨道卫星应用离子电推进技术方案

低地球轨道大气环境对诸如科学探测和对地观测卫星的阻尼作用十分明显,而且阻尼随太阳和地磁活动以及昼夜、季节交替变化范围宽.为了保证卫星轨道精度或飞行状态满足任务要求,需要利用推进系统对卫星受到的阻尼进行实时或间歇式补偿以实现轨道或飞行状态的保持.针对轨道高度220～268 km的无拖曳飞行和轨道维持应用,基于卫星轨道阻尼...     

AIUB-CHAMP02S: The influence of GNSS model changes on gravity field recovery using spaceborne GPS

The gravity field model AIUB-CHAMP02S, which is based on six years of CHAMP GPS data, is presented here. The gravity field parameters were derived using a two step procedure: In a first step a kinematic trajectory of a low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite is computed using the GPS data from the on-board receiver. In this step the orbits and clock corrections of the GPS satellites as well as the Earth rotation parameters (ERPs) are introduced as known. In the second step this kinematic orbit is represented by a gravitational force model and orbit parameters.     

基于GPS的地球资源卫星精密星历外推新方法

随着技术的发展,通过星载GPS接收机直接确定卫星星历成为卫星定位的一个重要手段.GPS接收机获取的卫星星历数据是某一时刻的瞬时状态,要获取连续的卫星星历数据还需要进一步处理.常用的处理方法有几何法与动力学法.在GPS接收机给定瞬时星历频率较低的情况下,几何法的计算误差比较大,特别是只有一组瞬时星历时,无法用几何法进行轨道的外推.在分析地球资源卫星轨道特点的基础上,提出一种新的轨道缩减动力模型,该模型将卫星运动在直角坐标系中分解为简谐运动,利用模型实现了轨道外推的算法.通过试验验证,该算法可以达到较高的精度.      

Broglio Drag Balance for neutral thermosphere density measurement on UNICubeSAT

The nanosatellite UNICubeSAT is described, carrying a Broglio Drag Balance Instrument for neutral thermosphere density in situ measurements. The aim of the mission is to contribute to the development of accurate thermosphere models, achieving in situ, real time measurements of atmosphere density, that could be exploited for global atmosphere model validation and accurate short term (1–3 days) real time space weather forecasts. The satellite is inexpensive and swarms could be easily launched operating as a distributed sensor network to get simultaneous in situ local (not orbit averaged) measurements in multiple positions and orbit heights. The nanosatellite is based on the Cubesat standard architecture, weighing about 1 kg for 1-L volume. Atmospheric drag force is measured by the displacement of light plates exposed to the incoming particle flux seen by the spacecraft, applying the original three dimensional Broglio Drag Balance concept to a single nanosatellite axis. The instrument concept and its relation to the satellite bus is depicted, showing that many long term potential measurement error sources and biases can be removed in data processing if the spacecraft is spin stabilized. The expected accuracy in density measurements is 20%. The instrument cost is a fraction of that of accurate accelerometers. The onboard systems are based on commercial off the shelf components, in accordance with the short lifetime typical of aeronomy satellites.     

基于GPS/北斗组合系统的高轨卫星定位技术研究

针对目前高轨GPS信号可用性差及定位精度低的特点, 对GPS/北斗组合系统的 高轨卫星定位技术进行研究, 对比分析了单GPS系统与GPS/北斗组合系统的卫 星可见性和几何精度因子. 结果表明, GPS/北斗组合系统比单GPS系统的卫星可 见性好, 且定位精度高. 同时通过提出在星载接收机上采用高精度原子钟, 可实现三星定位, 降低对接收机的技术要求.     

Onboard orbit determination using GPS observations based on the unscented Kalman filter

Spaceborne GPS receivers are used for real-time navigation by most low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. In general, the position and velocity accuracy of GPS navigation solutions without a dynamic filter are 25 m (1σ) and 0.5 m/s (1σ), respectively. However, GPS navigation solutions, which consist of position, velocity, and GPS receiver clock bias, have many abnormal excursions from the normal error range for space operation. These excursions lessen the accuracy of attitude control and onboard time synchronization. In this research, a new onboard orbit determination algorithm designed with the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) was developed to improve the performance. Because the UKF is able to obtain the posterior mean and covariance accurately by using the second-order Taylor series expansion through the sampled sigma points that are propagated by using the true nonlinear system, its performance can be better than that of the extended Kalman filter (EKF), which uses the linearized state transition matrix to predict the covariance. The dynamic models for orbit propagation applied perturbations due to the 40 × 40 geo-potential, the gravity of the Sun and Moon, solar radiation pressure, and atmospheric drag. The 7(8)th-order Runge–Kutta numerical integration was applied for orbit propagation. Two types of observations, navigation solutions and C/A code pseudorange, can be used at the user’s discretion. The performances of the onboard orbit determination were verified using real GPS data of the CHAMP and KOMPSAT-2 satellites. The results of the orbit determination were compared with the precision orbit ephemeris (POE) of the CHAMP and KOMPSAT-2 satellites.     

近地卫星和星座离轨机动研究

空间碎片减缓的积极措施之一是要求近地卫星在使命完成以后进行离轨机动,然后依靠大气阻力作用使卫星在不到25年的时间内自行消失.对此,研究了离轨机动的代价与使命后寿命的关系,提出并解决了正问题和逆问题;介绍了计算卫星寿命的高效率方法.为近地轨道卫星的设计提供了处理离轨机动问题的实用方法.      

Performance of GPS-based accelerometry: A simulation experiment

Recent studies have shown that with the availability of high-quality CHAMP and GRACE gravity field models, it is feasible to determine accurate non-gravitational accelerations for low Earth orbiting satellites indirectly from precise GPS satellite-to-satellite observations. Possible applications of this so-called GPS-based accelerometry approach consist of accelerometer calibration and atmospheric density and wind computations. With the growing number of high-quality space-borne GPS receivers, this method could be applied to a large range of satellites. In this paper an extensive simulation study has been carried out, based on real accelerometer data from the GRACE mission, in order to determine the optimal processing strategy and the resulting accuracy of the estimated non-gravitational accelerations. It is shown that the optimal processing strategy consists of a piecewise linear parameterization of the estimated empirical accelerations, together with short 6-h orbit arcs. The GPS-based accelerometry approach makes use of triple-differenced GPS observations and the impact of considering the correlated observation noise was found to be marginal in the presence of other error sources such as GPS ephemeris errors. Using a priori non-gravitational force models improves the recovery of low temporal resolution accelerations, except during huge geomagnetic storms. With this strategy, non-gravitational accelerations can be recovered during high solar activity with an accuracy of better than 10% of the total signal in along-track direction and around 25–40% in cross-track direction, at time resolutions of around 8–20 min. During solar minimum conditions, the relative recovery error will increase to approximately 50% in along-track direction and around 60–70% in cross-track direction, due to the reduced atmospheric drag signal. Unfortunately, GPS-based accelerometry is hardly sensitive in the radial direction.     

Estimation of differential code biases with Jason-2/3 onboard GPS observations

With the continuous deployment of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, the estimation of differential code biases (DCBs) based on GNSS observations from LEO has gained increasing attention. Previous studies on LEO-based DCB estimation are usually using the spherical symmetry ionosphere assumption (SSIA), in which a uniform electron density is assumed in a thick shell. In this study, we propose an approach (named the SHLEO method) to simultaneously estimate the satellite and LEO onboard receiver DCBs by modeling the distribution of the global plasmaspheric total electron content (PTEC) above the satellite orbit with a spherical harmonic (SH) function. Compared to the commonly used SSIA method, the SHLEO model improves the GPS satellite DCB estimation accuracy by 13.46% and the stability by 22.34%, respectively. Compared to the GPS satellite DCBs estimated based on the Jason-3-only observations, the accuracy and monthly stability of the satellite DCBs can be improved by 14.42% and 26.8% when both Jason-2 and Jason-3 onboard observations are jointly processed. Compared with the Jason-2 solutions, the GPS satellite DCB estimates based on the fusion of Jason-2 and Jason-3 observations have an improved consistency of better than 18.26% and 9.71% with the products provided by the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) and Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Taking the DCB products provided by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) as references, there is no improvement in accuracy of the GPS satellite DCB estimates based on the fusion of Jason-2 and Jason-3 observations than the Jason-2 solutions alone. A periodic variation is found in the time series of both the Jason-3 and Jason-2 onboard receiver DCB estimates. Preliminary analysis of the PTEC distribution based on the estimated SH coefficients are also presented.     

Use of two-line element data for thermosphere neutral density model calibration

Traditional empirical thermospheric density models are widely used in orbit determination and prediction of low-Earth satellites. Unfortunately, these models often exhibit large density errors of up to around 30% RMS. Density errors translate into orbit errors, adversely affecting applications such as re-entry operations, manoeuvre planning, collision avoidance and precise orbit determination for geodetic missions. The extensive database of two-line element (TLE) orbit data contains a wealth of information on satellite drag, at a sufficiently high spatial and temporal resolution to allow a calibration of existing neutral density models with a latency of one to two days. In our calibration software, new TLE data for selected objects is converted to satellite drag data on a daily basis. The resulting drag data is then used in a daily adjustment of density model calibration parameters, which modify the output of an existing empirical density model with the aim of increasing its accuracy. Two different calibration schemes have been tested using TLE data for about 50 objects during the year 2000. The schemes involve either height-dependent scale factors to the density or corrections to CIRA-72 model temperatures, which affect the density output based on a physical model. Both schemes have been applied with different spherical harmonic expansions of the parameters in latitude and local solar time. Five TLE objects, varying in perigee altitude between 280 and 530 km, were deliberately not used during calibration, in order to provide independent validation. Even with a single daily parameter, the RMS density model error along their tracks can already be reduced from the 30% to the 15% level. Adding additional parameters results in RMS errors lower than 12%.     

Thermosphere densities derived from Swarm GPS observations

After the detection of many anomalies in the Swarm accelerometer data, an alternative method has been developed to determine thermospheric densities for the three-satellite mission. Using a precise orbit determination approach, non-gravitational and aerodynamic-only accelerations are estimated from the high-quality Swarm GPS data. The GPS-derived non-gravitational accelerations serve as a baseline for the correction of the Swarm-C along-track accelerometer data. The aerodynamic accelerations are converted directly into thermospheric densities for all Swarm satellites, albeit at a much lower temporal resolution than the accelerometers would have been able to deliver. The resulting density and acceleration data sets are part of the European Space Agency Level 2 Swarm products.To improve the Swarm densities, two modifications have recently been added to our original processing scheme. They consist of a more refined handling of radiation pressure accelerations and the use of a high-fidelity satellite geometry and improved aerodynamic model. These modifications lead to a better agreement between estimated Swarm densities and NRLMSISE-00 model densities. The GPS-derived Swarm densities show variations due to solar and geomagnetic activity, as well as seasonal, latitudinal and diurnal variations. For low solar activity, however, the aerodynamic signal experienced by the Swarm satellites is very small, and therefore it is more difficult to accurately resolve latitudinal density variability using GPS data, especially for the higher-flying Swarm-B satellite. Therefore, mean orbit densities are also included in the Swarm density product.     

基于GPS的中、高轨道航天器定轨研究

利用GPS确定空间航天器轨道，尤其是GPS在中、高空间航天器定轨中的应用，针对中、高轨道中可见星少及GPS信号微弱等问题，提出了有效的微弱信号检测算法，提高了GPS接收机的接收能力，同时提出了利用伪加速度测量和轨道约束进行定轨解算的新方法，使得在HEO(高偏心轨道)中利用两颗可见星可以解算定位解，对GEO(静止地球轨道)只用一颗星就可求解，仿真结果表明该方法具有很好的效果。     

VLBI observations to the APOD satellite

The APOD (Atmospheric density detection and Precise Orbit Determination) is the first LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite in orbit co-located with a dual-frequency GNSS (GPS/BD) receiver, an SLR reflector, and a VLBI X/S dual band beacon. From the overlap statistics between consecutive solution arcs and the independent validation by SLR measurements, the orbit position deviation was below 10?cm before the on-board GNSS receiver got partially operational. In this paper, the focus is on the VLBI observations to the LEO satellite from multiple geodetic VLBI radio telescopes, since this is the first implementation of a dedicated VLBI transmitter in low Earth orbit. The practical problems of tracking a fast moving spacecraft with current VLBI ground infrastructure were solved and strong interferometric fringes were obtained by cross-correlation of APOD carrier and DOR (Differential One-way Ranging) signals. The precision in X-band time delay derived from 0.1?s integration time of the correlator output is on the level of 0.1?ns. The APOD observations demonstrate encouraging prospects of co-location of multiple space geodetic techniques in space, as a first prototype.     

Analysis of the orbit lifetime of CubeSats in low Earth orbits including periodic variation in drag due to attitude motion

It is estimated that more than 22,300 human-made objects are in orbit around the Earth, with a total mass above 8,400,000 kg. Around 89% of these objects are non-operational and without control, which makes them to be considered orbital debris. These numbers consider only objects with dimensions larger than 10 cm. Besides those numbers, there are also about 2000 operational satellites in orbit nowadays. The space debris represents a hazard to operational satellites and to the space operations. A major concern is that this number is growing, due to new launches and particles generated by collisions. Another important point is that the development of CubeSats has increased exponentially in the last years, increasing the number of objects in space, mainly in the Low Earth Orbits (LEO). Due to the short operational time, CubeSats boost the debris population. One of the requirements for space debris mitigation in LEO is the limitation of the orbital lifetime of the satellites, which needs to be lower than 25 years. However, there are space debris with longer estimated decay time. In LEÓs, the influence of the atmospheric drag is the main orbital perturbation, and is used in maneuvers to increment the losses in the satellite orbital energy, to locate satellites in constellations and to accelerate the decay.The goal of the present research is to study the influence of aerodynamic rotational maneuver in the CubeSat?s orbital lifetime. The rotational axis is orthogonal to the orbital plane of the CubeSat, which generates variations in the ballistic coefficient along the trajectory. The maneuver is proposed to accelerate the decay and to mitigate orbital debris generated by non-operational CubeSats. The panel method is selected to determine the drag coefficient as a function of the flow incident angle and the spinning rate. The pressure distribution is integrated from the satellite faces at hypersonic rarefied flow to calculate the drag coefficient. The mathematical model considers the gravitational potential of the Earth and the deceleration due to drag. To analyze the effects of the rotation during the decay, multiple trajectories were propagated, comparing the results obtained assuming a constant drag coefficient with trajectories where the drag coefficient changes periodically. The initial perigees selected were lower than 400 km of altitude with eccentricities ranging from 0.00 to 0.02. Six values for the angular velocity were applied in the maneuver. The technique of rotating the spacecraft is an interesting solution to increase the orbit decay of a CubeSat without implementing additional de-orbit devices. Significant changes in the decay time are presented due to the increase of the mean drag coefficient calculated by the panel method, when the maneuver is applied, reducing the orbital lifetime, however the results are independent of the angular velocity of the satellite.     

一种基于温度参数的热层密度修正方法

热层大气的阻力效应是影响低轨航天器大量空间操作的重要因素, 尤其是经验密度模式, 其固有的至少15%的内符合误差已严重制约航天器轨道计算精度的提高. 针对广泛应用的经验密度模式, 选择物理背景简明、关联参数较少的JACCHIA71模式, 以地磁平静条件下的全球散逸层顶温度最小值T_c及125 km高度拐点温度T_x为对象, 建立密度相对于上述温度参数的条件方程, 推导密度相对于温度参数的解析偏导数, 并给出其最小二乘解. 同时, 利用CHAMP卫星数据对模式进行修正, 模式平均误差从40%降低至3%左右. 通过TG01飞行器的轨道预报比较, 修正前后轨道预报位置精度从2 km提升至1 km左右. 经过CHAMP卫星和TG01飞行器的实测数据检验, 验证了修正算法的正确性和有效性.     

Obtaining more accurate electron density profiles from bending angle with GPS occultation data: FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC constellation

Since 1995, with the first GPS occultation mission on board Low Earth Orbiter (LEO) GPS/MET, inversion techniques were being applied to GPS occultation data to retrieve accurate worldwide distributed refractivity profiles, i.e. electron density profiles in the case of Ionosphere. Important points to guarantee the accuracy is to take into account horizontal gradients and topside electron content above the LEO orbit. This allows improving the accuracy from 20% to 50%, depending on the conditions, latitude and epoch regarding to Solar cycle as reported in previous works.     

A deorbiter CubeSat for active orbital debris removal

This paper introduces a mission concept for active removal of orbital debris based on the utilization of the CubeSat form factor. The CubeSat is deployed from a carrier spacecraft, known as a mothership, and is equipped with orbital and attitude control actuators to attach to the target debris, stabilize its attitude, and subsequently move the debris to a lower orbit where atmospheric drag is high enough for the bodies to burn up. The mass and orbit altitude of debris objects that are within the realms of the CubeSat’s propulsion capabilities are identified. The attitude control schemes for the detumbling and deorbiting phases of the mission are specified. The objective of the deorbiting maneuver is to decrease the semi-major axis of the debris orbit, at the fastest rate, from its initial value to a final value of about 6471?km (i.e., 100?km above Earth considering a circular orbit) via a continuous low-thrust orbital transfer. Two case studies are investigated to verify the performance of the deorbiter CubeSat during the detumbling and deorbiting phases of the mission. The baseline target debris used in the study are the decommissioned KOMPSAT-1 satellite and the Pegasus rocket body. The results show that the deorbiting times for the target debris are reduced significantly, from several decades to one or two years.