Stability and control of electrodynamic tethers for de-orbiting applications

Electrodynamic tethers provide a very promising propulsion system for de-orbiting of spent upper stages or LEO satellites. In this application, the Lorentz force generated by the interaction between the current in the wire and the geomagnetic field produces an electrodynamic drag leading to a fast orbital decay. The attractiveness of tether system lies especially in their capability to operate with uncontrollable satellites and in the modest mass requirement.The need for significant along-track forces leads however to the onset of an undesirable torque which, if not controlled, may drive the system into a dangerous instability. The electrodynamic torque determines in-plane and out-of-plane librations whose amplitude depends upon the current in the wire, mass distribution and system dimensions. Even more important, this torque is modulated along the orbit due to the changing magnetic field and ionospheric plasma density, giving rise to forced oscillations. The counteracting (and stabilizing) gravity-gradient torque is generally to small to ensure stability in typical, strongly non-symmetrical mass distributions, where a massive satellite or upper stage is attached at the lower end and a light electron collecting device (or passive ballast mass) is deployed a few kilometers above. Reducing the electron current or increasing the mass at the upper end are both unattractive solutions.In this paper we show how the electrodynamic torque pumps energy into the system (finally leading to large librations angles) and indicate that many proposed configurations are intrinsically unstable. Our results point out the need for a control strategy. Fortunately, the librations amplitudes can be limited by acting on the current flowing in the wire. Our model of a rigid, conductive tether shows that a control based upon timely current switch-off, using energy criteria, is indeed effective and simple to implement. The resultant duty-cycles are satisfactory and affect only marginally the de-orbiting times.     

电动系绳离轨装置的设计与分析

电动系绳离轨效果显著,无需消耗推进剂,是处理LEO（低地球轨道）废弃航天器的有效手段。文章介绍了利用电动系绳进行离轨的原理,提出了电动系绳离轨装置所需的硬件及其设计要求;给出了电动系绳离轨装置的控制策略和工作过程,并利用系绳运动方程对电动系绳离轨的效能进行了分析。结果显示,利用电动系绳可以大大减小离轨的面积时间积。     

Modifying the atlas of low lunar orbits using inert tethers

For long enough tethers, the coupling of the attitude and orbital dynamics may show non-negligible effects in the orbital motion of a tethered satellite about a central body. In the case of fast rotating tethers the attitude remains constant, on average, up to second order effects. Besides, for a tether rotating in a plane parallel to the equatorial plane of the central body, the attitude–orbit coupling effect is formally equal to the perturbation of the Keplerian motion produced by the oblateness of the central body and, therefore, may have a stabilizing effect in the orbital dynamics. In the case of a tethered satellite in a low lunar orbit, it is demonstrated that feasible tether lengths can help in modifying the actual map of lunar frozen orbits.     

Adaptive attitude control of spacecraft using neural networks

An adaptive control technique can be applicable to reorient spacecraft with uncertain properties such as mass, inertial and various misalignments. A nonlinear quaternion feedback controller is chosen as a baseline attitude controller. A linearly added adaptive input supported by neural networks to the baseline controller can estimate and eliminate the uncertain spacecraft property adaptively. The normalized input neural networks (NINNs) are examined for reliable computation of the adaptive input. The newly defined learning rules of the neural networks are established appropriately for a spacecraft. To prove the stability of the closed-loop dynamics with the control law, Lyapunov stability theory is considered. As a result, the proposed approach results in the uniform ultimate boundedness in tracking error and robustness of the chattering and the singularity problems.     

Reconstruction of spacecraft rotational motion using a Kalman filter

Quasi-static microaccelerations of four satellites of the Foton series (nos. 11, 12, M-2, M-3) were monitored as follows. First, according to measurements of onboard sensors obtained in a certain time interval, spacecraft rotational motion was reconstructed in this interval. Then, along the found motion, microacceleration at a given onboard point was calculated according to the known formula as a function of time. The motion was reconstructed by the least squares method using the solutions to the equations of satellite rotational motion. The time intervals in which these equations make reconstruction possible were from one to five orbital revolutions. This length is increased with the modulus of the satellite angular velocity. To get an idea on microaccelerations and satellite motion during an entire flight, the motion was reconstructed in several tens of such intervals. This paper proposes a method for motion reconstruction suitable for an interval of arbitrary length. The method is based on the Kalman filter. We preliminary describe a new version of the method for reconstructing uncontrolled satellite rotational motion from magnetic measurements using the least squares method, which is essentially used to construct the Kalman filter. The results of comparison of both methods are presented using the data obtained on a flight of the Foton M-3.     

Experiments and numerical simulations of an electrodynamic tether deployment from a spool-type reel using thrusters

The amount of space debris is ever increasing, and pollution of the space environment has become a serious problem that can no longer be ignored. Consequently, the active removal of large space debris from crowded economically useful orbits should begin as soon as possible. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has been investigating an active debris removal system that employs highly efficient electrodynamic tether (EDT) technology for orbital transfer. This study investigates the tether deployment from a spool-type reel using thrusters by means of numerical simulations of an EDT system. The thrusters are used in order to ensure the deployment of a tether with the length of several kilometers. In the simulations using a multiple mass tether model, the key parameters are estimated from various on-ground experiments. By means of the numerical simulations, the dynamics of tether deployment is studied and requirements of thruster needed for the deployment, such as the thrust forces and the periods of thruster activation, are clarified.     

Optimal control of reorientation of a spacecraft using free trajectory method

The problem of optimal control over spatial reorientation of a spacecraft is considered. The functional having a sense of propellant consumption is minimized. The analytical solution to the formulated problem is presented. It is shown that the optimal solution can be found in the class of two-impulse control at which the spacecraft’s turn is performed along a free motion trajectory. In order to improve the accuracy of spacecraft guidance into a specified angular position, methods of control are suggested that realize the method of free trajectories. The synthesized controls are invariant with respect to both external perturbations and parametric errors. The results of mathematical modeling are presented that demonstrate high efficiency of developed control algorithms. Propellant consumption for realizing a programmed turn is numerically estimated taking into account considerable gravitational and aerodynamic moments acting upon the spacecraft.     

Investigation of CME properties using the data of SDO and PROBA2 spacecraft

Formation and motion (at the initial stage) of six limb CMEs detected in the period June 2010 to June 2011 are investigated using the high-resolution data of the PROBA2 and SDO spacecraft combined with the data of SOHO/LASCO coronagraphs. It is demonstrated that several loop-like structures of enhanced brightness originate in the region of CME formation, and they move one after another with, as a rule, different velocities. These loop-like structures in the final analysis form the frontal structure of CME. Time dependences of the velocity and acceleration of the ejection’s front are obtained for all CMEs under consideration. A conclusion is drawn about possible existence of two classes of CMEs depending on their velocity time profiles. Ejections, whose velocity after reaching its maximum sharply drops by a value of more than 100 km/s and then goes over into a regime of slow change, belong to the first class. Another class of CMEs is formed by ejections whose velocity changes slowly immediately after reaching the maximum. It is demonstrated that the CME’s angular dimension increases at the initial stage of ejection motion up to a factor of 3 with a time scale of doubling the angular size value within the limits 3.5–11 min since the moment of the first measurement of this parameter of an ejection. For three CMEs it is shown that at the initial stage of their motion for a certain time interval they are stronger expanded than grow in the longitude direction.     

Pointing control of spacecraft using two SGCMGs via LPV control theory

In this paper, we consider a pointing control of a spacecraft using two single-gimbal control moment gyros (SGCMGs). Our pointing control problem is to make the line-of-sight of a camera or an antenna that is fixed on a body axis aim along a desired direction. To solve this problem, we first state the control objective for the pointing control through the angular momentum conservation principle. Then, we develop a gain-scheduled (GS) controller via linear parameter-varying (LPV) control theory. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed control method is shown by a numerical simulation.     

Differential drag spacecraft rendezvous using an adaptive Lyapunov control strategy

This paper introduces a novel Lyapunov-based adaptive control strategy for spacecraft maneuvers using atmospheric differential drag. The control forces required for rendezvous maneuvers at low Earth orbits can be generated by varying the aerodynamic drag affecting each spacecraft. This can be accomplished, for example, by rotating dedicated sets of drag panels. Thus, the relative spacecraft motion can be controlled without using any propellant since the motion of the panels can be powered by solar energy. A novel adaptive Lyapunov controller is designed, and a critical value for the relative drag acceleration that ensures Lyapunov stability is found. The critical value is used to adapt the Lyapunov controller, enhancing its performance. The method is validated using simulations. The results show that the Adaptive Lyapunov technique outperforms previous control strategies for differential drag based spacecraft maneuvering.     

航天器表面充电仿真计算和电位主动控制技术

文章运用等效电路理论推导出随时间变化充电问题的微分方程组,用FORTRAN语言开发了相应的计算机模拟程序,针对强地磁亚暴空间环境分析了地球同步轨道航天器在阴影区和光照区的充电水平。最后计算讨论了采用空心阴极等离子体接触器向航天器外发射电子束作为控制航天器充电水平手段的作用效果。     

Informational approaches to angular motion control of spacecraft

Any information concepts may be used for motion control with respect to the center of masses of a reusable transport spacecraft (RTS). Using comparative analysis of the two concepts (the first one, based upon information about attitude parameters with respect to the inertial reference system and the second one, based upon parameters of angular motion with respect to wind-body coordinate system) for specific features of RTS dynamics and control at the stages of orbital flight, atmospheric flight under gas dynamic and aerodynamic control, and landing, paper demonstrates that information on angles of attack, slip and speed roll should be used for angular motion control at this stage of flight.     

基于圆形超声阵列传感器的在轨泄漏定位方法

随着空间碎片数量的不断增加,载人航天器在轨泄漏定位问题成为一个亟待解决的问题。文章研究了一种基于圆形超声阵列传感器的在轨泄漏定位方法,利用互相关原理计算泄漏超声信号传播到不同测试单元的时间差,从而确定泄漏所在的方向,并根据三角定位方法确定漏孔的具体位置。     

Model-based spacecraft pose estimation and motion prediction using a photonic mixer device camera

Determination of relative distances and orientations, as well as motion identification is essential in rendezvous and docking and formation flying tasks. A 3D-image generated by a PMD (photonic mixer device) camera, which employs a phase shift measurement of emitted modulated light to derive distance and color information on each pixel, provides in this contribution the basis for near range motion detection and prediction. A novel algorithm based on rotation- and scale-invariant features commonly used for scan matching in high-resolution images is presented. The performance of the PMD camera and of the proposed data processing is characterized in scenarios, considering factors like relative velocities, rotation dynamics, illumination and optical properties of target surface materials, which are major effects for disturbances in this context.     

Comparative cost and utility analysis of monolith and fractionated spacecraft using failure and replacement Markov models

Failure of a single component on-board a spacecraft can compromise the integrity of the whole system and put its entire capability and value at risk. Part of this fragility is intrinsic to the current dominant design of space systems, which is mainly a single, large, monolithic system. The space industry has therefore recently proposed a new architectural concept termed fractionation, or co-located space-based network (SBN). By physically distributing functions in multiple orbiting modules wirelessly connected, this architecture allows the sharing of resources on-orbit (e.g., data processing, downlinks). It has been argued that SBNs could offer significant advantages over the traditional monolithic architecture as a result of the network structure and the separation of sources of risk in the spacecraft. Careful quantitative analyses are still required to identify the conditions under which SBNs can “outperform” monolithic spacecraft. In this work, we develop Markov models of module failures and replacement to quantitatively compare the lifecycle cost and utility of both architectures. We run Monte-Carlo simulations of the models, and discuss important trends and invariants. We then investigate the impact of our model parameters on the existence of regions in the design space in which SBNs “outperform” the monolith spacecraft on a cost, utility, and utility per unit cost basis. Beyond the life of one single spacecraft, this paper compares the cost and utility implications of maintaining each architecture type through successive replacements.     

Benefits and challenges of voluntary contribution to GEOSS

The vision of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) is the achievement of societal benefits through voluntary contribution and sharing of data, metadata and products at no or minimum cost. Such undertakings, where contribution provides positive externalities, benefiting contributors and non-contributors alike, are often described as ‘social dilemmas’, usually resulting in small levels of voluntary contribution. We investigate the benefits and challenges of voluntary contribution to GEOSS, surveying economic and game theoretic literature and examining how the concepts of social dilemmas apply to the provision of GEOSS. We conduct an exploratory survey among individuals involved in the Group on Earth Observation (GEO) to understand their perception of voluntarily contribution. Even though contribution to GEOSS was perceived as rather low, e.g. because of a perceived lack of funds, commitment or organization, survey respondents also perceived many (exclusive) benefits of contribution, e.g. networking, visibility for their work or collaborating with motivated individuals. To increase participation, respondents suggested increasing financial support and raising awareness of GEOSS. We conclude that communicating the efficacy of individuals' contributions, the personal benefits of contribution and strengthening of group identity and knowledge about fellow participants' work can constitute incentives for future voluntary contribution. This could be facilitated by an externally established institution providing a framework for cooperation, or by institutions, agreements or frameworks agreed upon by contributors themselves.     

航天器星敏感器自主定位方法及精度分析

用星敏感器和地平仪测量星光与地平之间的“星光抑角”为观测量，利用推广卡尔曼滤波方法实时估计航天器的最佳位置，使航天器在失去地面遥控的情况下，能够自主准确地确定运行轨道。由于航天器自主定位系统在工作期间会受到硬、软件等诸多因素的影响，因而使其定位精度达不到预计要求。在此我们通过大量仿真计算，指出一些对自主定位系统精度影响较大的因素，并对它们进行了比较分析。     

Robust attitude stabilization of spacecraft subject to actuator failures

A robust nonlinear control scheme is developed to stabilize the 3-axis attitude of the spacecraft for cases where there is no control available on either roll or yaw axis. The stability conditions for robustness against unmatched uncertainties and disturbances are derived to establish the regions of asymptotic 3-axis attitude stabilization. The properties of the proposed sliding surface are investigated to obtain the domains of sliding mode for the closed-loop system. Several numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed controller and validate the theoretical results. The control algorithm is shown to compensate for time-varying external disturbances including solar radiation pressure, aerodynamic forces, and magnetic disturbances; and uncertainties in the spacecraft inertia parameters. The numerical results also establish the robustness of the proposed control scheme to negate disturbances caused by orbit eccentricity.     

细菌生物膜对航天器材料的危害及其防护简述

细菌生物膜是造成空间环境下航天器材料腐蚀的关键因素之一。文章简述了细菌生物膜的结构和形成机制、其对航天器材料的危害、主要评估方法以及防控策略,并提出目前防控策略在实际应用中存在的问题。当前的细菌生物膜防控策略主要分为3类：1）修改易感表面的特性以防止细菌生物膜形成;2）调节信号通路以抑制细菌生物膜的形成;3）施加外力以消除细菌生物膜。文章可为造成航天器材料腐蚀的细菌生物膜的防控策略创新和发展提供参考。     

航天器传动部件振动数据稀疏多分类智能故障诊断

针对航天器传动链机械零部件发生故障时训练数据稀缺以及信号的强非平稳\非线性特点,提出了动态数据驱动的子空间稀疏多分类智能故障诊断算法。首先对采集的单一传感器动态信号进行分形小波变换,生成常规和非常规二进小波尺度。然后对生成的各子空间提出基于故障能量指标的稀疏多分类器,以监测部件的故障特征频率为搜索目标,在子空间的包络解调谱上计算特征频率及其倍频附近的能量峰值,导出特定故障模式的稀疏评价指标,以各种故障模式的最大值识别和判定故障类型。所提出的算法完全实现了无人工监督的智能故障诊断。最后以航天器轴承故障诊断为例验证了该算法的有效性。所研究算法的泛化能力较强,技术路线同样适用于其他航天器传动部件的在线监测与故障智能预警。