Innovation and change? The evolution of Europe's small satellite manufacturers

Since the 1980s a trend has emerged to contain the cost of space missions, which has favored trials in the construction and launch of small satellites. This effort has considerably reduced the cost of the satellites because the construction process uses both traditional components and important technological innovations. There have also been market openings for small satellites, both within the telecommunication sector and for scientific missions and those related to Earth observation. This paper contains the results of a survey of the largest manufacturers of small satellites in Europe and investigates how far (if at all) they have changed the structure of the European space industry. It finds that, through the acquisition of small satellite manufacturers, traditional large companies operating in the field of space in Europe have secured for themselves important technological innovations and market opportunities, while maintaining their oligopolistic position.     

The development of a Russian communication satellite of small class, operating in the geostationary and high-elliptical orbits

In 1994-1995 Lavochkin Association (Russia) together with the other enterprises in accordance with technical requirements of the Russian Space agency, developed a new Russian communication satellite of a small class that will operate in both the geostationary (GSO) and high-elliptical (HEO) orbits. This satellite may be injected into operational orbits using a SOYUZ-2 launch vehicle (LV) and a FREGAT upper stage (US) from Plesetsk and Baykonur space launch sites (SLS).The main reason for creating such a satellite was to decrease the cost of the support and development of the Russian communication geostationary satellites group.Russian satellites Horizont, Express, Ekran and Gals, which operate in GSO, are the basis of the space segment for communications, radio and TV broadcasting. All of these satellites are injected into GSO by the PROTON LV. PROTON is a launch vehicle of a heavy class. The use of a middle class LV instead of a heavy class will allow to reduce considerably the launch cost. The change of a heavy class LV to a LV of middle class determined one economic reason for this project. Besides, the opportunity to launch S/C into GSO from Russian Plesetsk SLS increases the independence of Russia in the domain of space communications, despite the presence of the contract with Kazachstan about the rent of Baykonur SLS. Finally, use of small satellites with a rather small number of transponders is more effective than the use of big satellites. It will allow also to increase a satellite group (by the launch of additional satellites) precisely in accordance to the development of the ground segment.     

The development of a Russian communication satellite of small class, operating in the geostationary and high-elliptical orbits

In 1994–1995 Lavochkin Association (Russia) together with the other enterprises in accordance with technical requirements of the Russian Space agency, developed a new Russian communication satellite of a small class that will operate in both the geostationary (GSO) and high-elliptical (HEO) orbits. This satellite may be injected into operational orbits using a SOYUZ-2 launch vehicle (LV) and a FREGAT upper stage (US) from Plesetsk and Baykonur space launch sites (SLS).The main reason for creating such a satellite was to decrease the cost of the support and development of the Russian communication geostationary satellites group.Russian satellites Horizont, Express, Ekran and Gals, which operate in GSO, are the basis of the space segment for communications, radio and TV broadcasting. All of these satellites are injected into GSO by the PROTON LV. PROTON is a launch vehicle of a heavy class. The use of a middle class LV instead of a heavy class will allow to reduce considerably the launch cost. The change of a heavy class LV to a LV of middle class determined one economic reason for this project. Besides, the opportunity to launch S/C into GSO from Russian Plesetsk SLS increases the independence of Russia in the domain of space communications, despite the presence of the contract with Kazachstan about the rent of Baykonur SLS. Finally, use of small satellites with a rather small number of transponders is more effective than the use of big satellites. It will allow also to increase a satellite group (by the launch of additional satellites) precisely in accordance to the development of the ground segment.     

新型航天器抗辐射加固技术的研究重点

未来新型航天器在研制模式、设计技术、元器件及材料等方面与以往卫星相比将有较大变化,从而对抗辐射加固技术提出新的要求。因此,抗辐射加固技术的研究重点须在以往研究基础上进行调整。文章从航天器总体角度,对新型航天器抗辐射加固技术的研究重点进行探讨。     

POES companion: Objectives, methodology, and benefits

POES Companion is a small satellite that would carry an atmospheric sounding instrument identical to one on a nearby operational polar orbiting spacecraft. The spacing between the two satellites would be controlled and variable. The mission is designed to establish the upper bound on the distance between the two satellites within which data from the instruments are statistically equivalent, and further would demonstrate that two neighboring spacecraft can be managed safely and efficiently. POES Companion will validate new Companion options outlined in this paper that could substantially reduce costs attributable to satellite-based atmospheric sounders for both operational and research programs.     

现代小卫星的发展及轨道垃圾问题

文章首先综述半个多世纪以来传统和现代小卫星的技术发展,特别是现代小卫星在对地观测、通信导航、空间技术实验与演示、深空探测、军事等方面的应用取得很多成就,尤其是对地观测高分辨率成像系统取得了突破性技术成就;其次讨论小卫星所产生的轨道垃圾及其影响和处理;最后提出未来小卫星技术发展十个原则,对未来小卫星的应用作了展望。     

偏置动量小卫星抗干扰能力分析与验证

环境减灾-1A、1B（HJ-1A、1B）卫星和海洋-1B（HY-1B）卫星是三颗偏置动量小卫星,均采用偏置动量轮控制和磁力矩器控制,其姿态控制系统具有较强的抗干扰能力。文章对该卫星的抗干扰能力进行了分析和仿真,并根据在轨运行数据给出了验证结果,表明控制系统具有一定的控制精度和稳定性。     

卫星编队多Agent软件结构仿真研究

随着小卫星技术的发展,今后由多颗微小卫星近距离编队飞行将成为在轨航天器部署的主要形式。本文把多Agent思想引入卫星编队,提出了基于多Agent卫星编队软件结构,根据编队中不同卫星Agent的智能水平和相互关系给出了4种分布形式,在把智能水平最高的主星Agent模块化结构做重点介绍的同时,以避免两星碰撞为例阐述了模糊控制逻辑在主星决策Agent中的应用。     

基于星务管理系统的小卫星自主健康管理系统

为了适应小卫星电子信息系统的快速发展,使卫星能够自行规划工作流程,实现在轨自主管理,需要构建合理有效的小卫星自主健康管理系统。文章以星务管理系统为基础,针对目前健康管理中存在的问题,构建了一套小卫星自主健康管理系统。它包括整星级、系统级和部件级3个层面。设计了自主健康管理执行模块构成整星级层面,其中包括自主健康管理规则库和自主健康管理任务执行模块。文章提出的小卫星自主健康管理系统,可以提高小卫星自主诊断、自主运行能力,最终实现小卫星长寿命、安全可靠运行。     

Infrared sensor for hot spot recognition for a small satellite mission

High temperature events strongly influence the environmental processes. Therefore, their observation is an important constituent of the global monitoring network. Unfortunately the current remote sensing systems are not able to deliver the necessary information about the world wide burn out of vegetation and its consequences. For global observations a dedicated system of small satellites is required. The main components of the corresponding instrumentation are the infrared channels. The proposed HSRS (HOT SPOT RECOGNITION SENSOR) has to demonstrate the possibilities of an such instrumentation and its feasibility for small satellites. The main drawbacks of the HSRS design are the handling of the hot spot recognition in the subpixel area and of the saturation in the case of larger hot areas by a suitable signal processing hardware.     

主星带伴随小卫星编队SAR系统干涉测高精度与编队构形设计

针对主星伴随小卫星编队SAR新的干涉几何关系,在给出其新的干涉测高原理的基础上,建立了绝对高程误差模型和相对高程误差模型。分析了空间基线姿态参数与测高精度之间的关系,给出了具有一般性意义的测高精度关于三维基线姿态的分布全貌图。以此测高精度分布图对两种典型编队构型的测高性能进行了分析,指出两种编队在设计上的先进性,证明了该图对基于测高性能的编队构型优化设计具有重要意义。     

一种新型充气式重力梯度杆的研制和在轨展开试验

文章对中国“新技术验证一号”卫星搭载的一种新型充气式重力梯度杆的研制和在轨试验情况进行了介绍。重力梯度杆在小卫星控制领域中具有较好的应用前景,而充气结构具有轻质、占用空间小、发射成本低的特点,采用充气式重力梯度杆可避免传统机械式重力梯度杆质量重、尺寸大和机构复杂的缺点,它以充气伸展臂为主要结构形式,通过充气展开伸直成为重力梯度杆,既作为卫星重力梯度杆又通过在轨试验验证空间充气展开结构的性能。在轨试验结果表明充气式重力梯度杆展开稳定、有序、性能可靠,可以满足小卫星的性能和功能要求。该试验也是中国首个成功的充气展开结构在轨技术验证试验,标志着中国的充气展开结构技术初步具备了工程化能力。     

Alternating magnetic field forces for satellite formation flying

Selected future space missions, such as large aperture telescopes and multi-component interferometers, will require the precise positioning of a number of isolated satellites, yet many of the suggested approaches for providing satellite positioning forces have serious limitations. In this paper we propose a new approach, capable of providing both position and orientation forces, that resolves or alleviates many of these problems. We show that by using alternating fields and currents that finely-controlled forces can be induced on the satellites, which can be individually selected through frequency allocation. We also show, through analysis and experiment, that near field operation is feasible and can provide sufficient force and the necessary degrees of freedom to accurately position and orient small satellites relative to one another. In particular, the case of a telescope with a large number of free mirrors is developed to provide an example of the concept. We also discuss the far field extension of this concept.     

Autonomous navigation for a group of satellites with star sensors and inter-satellite links

This paper studies the autonomous navigation method for a group of satellites based on relative position measurements, which can be obtained by using inter-satellite links for measuring relative range and navigation star sensors for measuring relative bearing. For the satellites that are far from each other, it may be difficult to obtain relative bearing measurement due to poor visibility. To address this difficulty, this paper proposes a novel scheme, where three satellites, whose relative ranges are rather small such that the relative bearings can be observed, are used as beacons for the navigation of the other satellites that are invisible. The feasibility of the proposed navigation scheme is analyzed by using the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB), with the consideration of the availability of relative bearing measurements. In addition, the multiple model adaptive estimation (MMAE) algorithm is adopted to improve the convergence speed of the estimator in the presence of large initial errors. Simulation results illustrate the high performance of the proposed scheme.     

美国调整军事航天器的发展策略

美国对军事航天器的依赖性不断增强,也面临着航天器越来越长的研制周期和越来越高的研制成本,因此,改变军事航天器的发展策略成为当务之急。美国为提升战场实战能力正在进行发展思路的战略性调整,主要包括:拓展搭载军事有效载荷的途径;推进将大型卫星有效载荷拆分成小卫星的模式;开发分布式军事太空系统结构;对运载资源挖潜;优化商业模式实现业务拓展。对已有卫星的后续系统,进行规模改造与能力提升途径的调整,主要包括:对于军事通信卫星,扩大宽带或"超高频"(SHF)系统,突出窄带或"特高频"(UHF)系统及"先进极高频"(AEHF)系统;分步升级GPS的地面部分,将GPS-3提升为国家关键基础设施;确保导弹预警卫星系统重点。在开发新系统时,美国注重提高效能和降低成本,发展有效的支持能力和低成本小卫星系统,提高低成本机动发射和快速进入太空的能力,并以轨道资源利用为目的开拓新途径。     

The GANDER constellation for maritime dissaster mitigation

The development of sea state monitoring from polar-orbiting satellites has recently moved away from the concept of single, multi-sensor platform such as ERS-2, Topex/Poseidon or ENVISAT towards the design of a system that would allow frequent updates from a constellation of small satellites equipped with special-purpose radar altimeters. This new system, called GANDER for Global Altimeter Network Designed to Evaluate Risk, has attracted significant support from a number of important customer segments including the military.

This paper details the design of an altimeter for a Surrey small satellite, and illustrates the major system trade-offs that need to be made. Critical to the viability of the mission will be the development of a radar altimeter capable of operating successfully on a small satellite bus, within a limited volume and power budget. The mission design presents a number of key technological challenges, in order to permit a physically small antenna to be employed, and to minimise the pulse power. This can be achieved by advanced techniques, such as the delay Doppler altimeter concept, which emphasises the needs for high-speed on-board signal processing, phase linearity and pulse-to-pulse phase coherency.

The system design for the GANDER constellation is also described, illustrating how it not only offers a means for maritime disaster mitigation, but also can reduce shipping cost and time.     

小卫星编队飞行动力学及其应用

由若干颗小卫星编队飞行组成一个虚拟卫星 ,其功能相当或超过一颗大卫星。这将为小卫星开拓一个完全崭新的应用领域。文章首先论述编队飞行的概念和应用 ,其次研究轨道动力学。系统地研究编队飞行三种动力学模型 ,最后进行相应数学仿真 ,分析研究各种数学模型的精度和它们的应用场合。     

Small satellite's role in future hyperspectral Earth observation missions

Along with various advanced satellite onboard sensors, an important place in the near future will belong to hyperspectral instruments, considered as suitable for different scientific, commercial and military missions. As was demonstrated over the last decade, hyperspectral Earth observations can be provided by small satellites at considerably lower costs and shorter timescales, even though with some limitations on resolution, spectral response, and data rate. In this work the requirements on small satellites with imaging hyperspectral sensors are studied. Physical and technological limitations of hyperspectral imagers are considered. A mathematical model of a small satellite with a hyperspectral imaging spectrometer system is developed. The ability of the small satellites of different subclasses (micro- and mini-) to obtain hyperspectral images with a given resolution and quality is examined. As a result of the feasibility analysis, the constraints on the main technical parameters of hyperspectral instruments suitable for application onboard the small satellites are outlined. Comparison of the data for designed and planned instruments with simulation results validates the presented approach to the estimation of the small satellite size limitations. Presented analysis was carried out for sensors with conventional filled aperture optics.     

低轨互联网卫星在轨单粒子翻转分析及防护措施

空间单粒子翻转（SEU）对于在轨卫星寿命和可靠性有着较大的影响,然而,针对低轨互联网卫星1000～1200 km的典型极地轨道空间SEU,目前缺少在轨试验验证结果。文章对某型号的两颗卫星在轨7个月以来的SEU事件记录数据进行处理和分析,给出互联网卫星1050～1425 km不同轨道高度上的SEU事件发生的频度、区域及概率,结合在轨运行情况提出互联网卫星在轨单粒子翻转的软硬件防护设计措施。数据表明,在当前低轨互联网卫星的典型轨道高度上,对于抗单粒子翻转阈值为0.7 MeV·cm2/mg的低阈值SRAM器件,在轨SEU事件大部分发生在SAA区域,发生概率约为7.63×10-7 bit-1·d-1。结合卫星在轨空间防护设计经验,通过加强元器件选用控制、软硬件冗余设计、关键器件限流等措施,可以有效提高低轨互联网卫星的在轨可靠性。     

协同小卫星系统和服务

文章提出一个新概念:协同小卫星系统和服务(应用),简称5S(Synergic Small Satellites Systems and Services)。其目的是积极研究和开发多颗小卫星联合协同工作,开创在各领域新的应用。文中首先论述5S的概念与内涵;其次研究小卫星星座和编队飞行性能特点与系统设计;最后介绍近几年来协同小卫星系统的4个创新应用示例。