Feasibility of using statellites in non-equatorial 24-hour circular orbits for communications

The early sixties witnessed the debate among competing candidate orbits that led to the emergence of perfect geostationary systems as virtually the sole “instruments” for satellite communication. The subsequent problem of overcrowding of geostationary ring on one hand and explosive growth in demand on communication capacity on the other led comsat experts to focus on the alternate routes through various near-earth and medium attitude satellite constellations later proposed for uninterrupted communication. However, the opportunities thrown up by quasi-stationary orbits for augmentation of the space communication capacity have gone abegging. This paper attempts to draw attention of communication satellite designers/planners to the immense potential for utilization of the non-equatorial, 24-hour circular orbits for communication. For the proposed quasi-stationary orbits, the change and/or control of the inclination of the plane is not envisaged in the launch and/or operational phase. The resulting significant payload weight advantage is associated with the problem of periodic as well as secular apparent angular satellite drift relative to the ground terminal. However, the problem may be largely overcome through controlled satellite tilting using solar radiation pressure or through the use of tethered auxiliary mass attachment. Alternatively, it may be possible to overcome the attitude control problem by the use of systems such as on-bard electronically steerable phased array antenna capable of following the line-of-sight to the co-operative ground station.     

Variable structure control for satellite attitude stabilization in elliptic orbits using solar radiation pressure

The paper proposes the use of solar radiation pressure for satellite attitude control in elliptic orbits based on variable structure control. The system comprises of a satellite with two-oppositely placed solar flaps. Sliding mode control and terminal sliding mode control techniques have been adopted to develop nonlinear control laws for suitably rotating the control solar flaps to neutralize the adverse effect of eccentricity normally responsible for a considerable deterioration in the attitude control performance. The detailed numerical simulation of the governing nonlinear equation of the motion including the effects of various system parameters on the controller performance, establishes the feasibility of the proposed control strategy. The proposed controller is found to be robust against parameter uncertainties and external disturbances and thereby, the control strategy presented in the paper may be applicable to future satellite missions.     

Attractive manifold-based adaptive solar attitude control of satellites in elliptic orbits

The paper presents a novel noncertainty-equivalent adaptive (NCEA) control system for the pitch attitude control of satellites in elliptic orbits using solar radiation pressure (SRP). The satellite is equipped with two identical solar flaps to produce control moments. The adaptive law is based on the attractive manifold design using filtered signals for synthesis, which is a modification of the immersion and invariance (I&I) method. The control system has a modular controller–estimator structure and has separate tunable gains. A special feature of this NCEA law is that the trajectories of the satellite converge to a manifold in an extended state space, and the adaptive law recovers the performance of a deterministic controller. This recovery of performance cannot be obtained with certainty-equivalent adaptive (CEA) laws. Simulation results are presented which show that the NCEA law accomplishes precise attitude control of the satellite in an elliptic orbit, despite large parameter uncertainties.     

Attitude controller design for orbital target tracking of geostationary satellite under avoidance constraint

A coordinated attitude control problem is addressed for which a geostationary satellite should maintain communication with a ground station while simultaneously tracking space objects. The coordinated attitude control discussed in this study is related to the attitude maneuvers of a tracking satellite and to the orbital motion of targets placed in orbits of lower altitudes. Modified Rodrigues parameters are employed to avoid singularities even in the presence of large attitude maneuvers. The initial attitude error is calculated based upon an arbitrary initial configuration for the target tracking, so that a sequential tracking from one to another target can be achieved easily. Additionally, avoidance maneuvers aimed at protecting sensitive onboard sensors from the Sun and the Moon are designed using the so-called navigation function. When the avoidance areas are on the transient path due to the coordinated attitude maneuver command, the maneuver is performed with no violation against the given constraint areas by adopting the navigation function.     

Trajectories of in-plane periodic solutions of tethered satellite system projected on van der Pol planes

In this paper, in-plane periodic solutions for a dumbbell model in elliptic orbits are searched using bifurcation, and their trajectories are projected on the van der Pol planes. The trajectories projected on the van der Pol plane will be employed as a tool to predict when the control of delayed feedback control will need to act to maintain the periodic motions.     

考虑地球扁率的大椭圆轨道编队飞行优化设计

大椭圆轨道上卫星编队的相对运动特性及其所受摄动力的影响给编队轨道设计者提出了新的挑战.本文总结了大椭圆轨道卫星编队的五种基本形式,利用数值积分法计算了主星轨道倾角、近地点角和平近点角初值对地球扁率作用下基本编队形式相对位置极值点漂移量的影响规律.结合零J2项摄动条件,提出基于主星平近点角初值的J2项编队相对轨道优化设计方法,进而获得瞬时根数描述的编队初始条件.仿真算例表明：优化设计结果可以明显降低大椭圆轨道编队卫星的相对漂移量,与平根数描述的编队初始条件的设计结果相比,相对距离极大值点的漂移量降低约81.8681%,验证了基于主星平近点角初值的大椭圆轨道编队优化设计方法的可行性.     

A heuristic design method for attitude stabilization of magnetic actuated satellites

In this paper a heuristic design strategy for stabilizing the satellite attitude has been proposed. It is assumed that the satellite is actuated by a set of mutually perpendicular magnetic coils. Using well-known Lyapunov direct stability method it is shown that the proposed controller causes to a global asymptotic stable system for all near polar orbits. The design procedure is based on analyzing of the conceptual effects of magnetic coils on the satellite attitude motion. Considering these effects lead to some intuitive results which determine the global stabilizing control law. The performance and robustness of the designed controller against actuators saturation and quantization error have been verified using a real-time-hardware–software in-loop (RTHSIL) simulation results. These results show that the global stability can be achieved although some disturbances and restrictions exist. This stabilizing controller can be simply combined with a linear explicit model predictive controller (EMPC) to achieve a full three-axis control law.     

Revisiting the general periodic relative motion in elliptic reference orbits

A general periodicity condition is presented by analyzing the relative motion between two spacecraft performing formation flight in Keplerian elliptic orbits. The Tschauner–Hempel equation is used to describe the relative motion, and the general periodicity condition is derived through a state transition matrix with a true anomaly as a free variable. The general periodicity condition is also derived by using the energy matching condition, and the resulting periodic conditions by two approaches are compared to each other. Moreover, the zero offset condition is presented to locate the leader spacecraft at the center of the formation geometry. Then, the periodic relative motion in the elliptic reference orbit is expressed using the periodicity condition and the zero offset condition. Numerical simulations demonstrate the periodic relative motion in the elliptic reference orbit, and the results show that the general periodicity condition guarantees the bounded periodic relative motion in arbitrary elliptic orbits, and the zero offset condition makes the formation center coincide with the leader spacecraft.     

A heuristic design method for attitude stabilization of magnetic actuated satellites

In this paper a heuristic design strategy for stabilizing the satellite attitude has been proposed. It is assumed that the satellite is actuated by a set of mutually perpendicular magnetic coils. Using well-known Lyapunov direct stability method it is shown that the proposed controller causes to a global asymptotic stable system for all near polar orbits. The design procedure is based on analyzing of the conceptual effects of magnetic coils on the satellite attitude motion. Considering these effects lead to some intuitive results which determine the global stabilizing control law. The performance and robustness of the designed controller against actuators saturation and quantization error have been verified using a real-time-hardware–software in-loop (RTHSIL) simulation results. These results show that the global stability can be achieved although some disturbances and restrictions exist. This stabilizing controller can be simply combined with a linear explicit model predictive controller (EMPC) to achieve a full three-axis control law.     

采用观测器的偏置动量小卫星姿态容错控制

针对偏置动量小卫星的自主飞行问题,提出一种基于不确定项观测器的滑模容错控制方法。应用欧拉-拉格朗日系统的干扰观测方法设计不确定项观测器,对动量轮输出力矩变小、磁力矩器线圈电阻漂移等执行器故障以及小卫星外部环境力矩等不确定项进行估计,理论推导证明该观测器的观测误差一致最终有界(UUB)。基于不确定项观测器的估计值,设计补偿控制项,并与滑模控制器的控制力矩合成实现姿态容错控制。从理论上证明该容错控制方法能够使小卫星姿态快速收敛至滑模面。该容错方法无需做小角度假设,对执行器运行状态信息依赖性低。仿真结果表明,本文建议的容错控制方法具备可行性,实现了对小卫星姿控系统中不确定项的观测估计和容错控制。     

超低轨卫星气动力辅助轨道控制研究

针对超低轨卫星所受气动力显著的特点,提出一种利用气动舵的气动力辅助轨道控制方法。通过分析大气旋转、卫星所处空间位置以及气动舵偏转角度对气动力的影响,对提出的轨道控制方法进行了优化。该方法通过调整气动舵产生连续微小的气动力对卫星轨道进行控制,使各轨道要素均保持在误差容限范围内。将其应用于太阳同步轨道上的对地观测卫星,仿真结果表明,该方法可以在卫星姿态保持三轴对地稳定的前提下,实现轨道保持控制,保证任意纬度下卫星实际位置与标称轨道位置偏差在给定范围内。     

基于陀螺和星敏感器的卫星姿态确定算法

主要研究了基于陀螺和星敏感器配置的卫星姿态确定算法.为保证卫星姿态确定的高精度,利用星敏感器提供的姿态四元数结合扩展卡尔曼滤波,对陀螺漂移进行实时补偿.并利用在轨数据,通过matlab数学仿真,验证了高精度滤波算法的有效性.所设计的滤波器能准确估计陀螺漂移,估计误差优于5.56×10-5(°)/s;姿态估计误差优于0....     

Statistical method for ground and sky coverage calculation

A novel statistical method has been devised for evaluating the ground and the sky coverage of an observation experiment on board a satellite. Owing to its unrivalled rapidity compared with other conventional calculation techniques, the method can be applied to evaluate the coverage percentages for the whole globe or any area on it, to calculate the visibility percentages for one or more ground stations and to determine the percentages of observation time of any given celestial direction including Sun, Moon, Earth and Ground Stations constraints. The orbits considered can be elliptical and account is taken of the drift due to the Earth's oblateness.     

遥感卫星高精度高稳定度控制技术

对遥感卫星高精度高稳定度控制技术进行了综述。给出了国内外高稳定度多挠性遥感卫星控制、快速机动控制、高精度姿态确定、自主智能控制等典型应用,以及未来发展趋势。分析了挠性多体卫星结构-控制一体化设计、卫星在轨试验和高精度姿态确定等关键技术。讨论了挠性多体卫星动力学建模仿真及地面试验验证,H∞控制、自适应滤波前馈等卫星姿态控制方法研究与应用,卫星结构模态与无干扰力矩在轨辨识,以及基于陀螺、星敏感器及其误差、卫星动力学模型、在轨热变形标定等高精度姿态确定技术。     

Investigation of the Time of Ballistic Existence for Elliptic Orbits Evolving under the Influence of Gravitational Perturbations of External Bodies

A comparative analysis of the time of ballistic existence for different elliptic orbits evolving under the influence of gravitational perturbations of external bodies is performed. For this purpose, the solution of a satellite variant of the restricted circular double-averaged three-body problem obtained by M.L. Lidov [1] is used. The use of a geometrical interpretation of Lidov's solutions has allowed us to create a visualized tool for a choice of evolving satellite orbits with a long time of ballistic existence.     

姿态对地指向不断变化成像时的偏流角分析

 针对敏捷卫星在三轴姿态机动过程中同时进行推扫成像的偏流角问题,基于线阵TDICCD推扫成像原理,分析了动态成像过程中的偏流原理,通过速度矢量法推导出动态成像方式下的偏流角数学解析表达式。数值仿真分析表明：当相机推扫速度方向与星下点速度方向的夹角η为0°（沿航迹方向推扫成像）或180°（沿航迹反方向推扫成像）,偏流是由地球自转产生的,数值较小;当夹角为0°＜η＜180°时,偏流是地球自转和轨道运动共同产生的,偏流角数值较大;当夹角η=90°（垂直于航迹方向推扫成像）时,偏流角随地理纬度的增大而增大。基于以上结论,采用姿态偏航控制对偏流角进行调整,可以实现在三轴姿态机动过程中开启光学有效载荷进行推扫成像的动态成像技术。     

Control of satellite imaging formations in multi-body regimes

Libration point orbits may be ideal locations for satellite imaging formations. Therefore, control of these arrays in multi-body regimes is critical. A continuous feedback control algorithm is developed that maintains a formation of satellites in motion that is bounded relative to a halo orbit. This algorithm is derived based on the dynamic characteristics of the phase space near periodic orbits in the circular restricted three-body problem (CR3BP). By adjusting parameters of the control algorithm appropriately, satellites in the formation follow trajectories that are particularly advantageous to imaging arrays. Image reconstruction and coverage of the (u, v) plane are simulated for interferometric satellite configurations, demonstrating potential applications of the algorithm and the resulting motion.     

基于严格成像模型的卫星姿态角系统误差补偿

为消除卫星在轨运动过程中俯仰、偏航、滚动对遥感影像地面定位的影响,建立了卫星姿态角系统误差补偿模型,即在严格成像模型的基础上,对姿态角进行直接调整,以减小定位误差。利用环境减灾-1B（HJ-1B）卫星CCD1相机遥感影像进行分析,在单景影像的定位中,借助于2个地面控制点,将其系统误差减小到原来的1/3,从而验证了模型的有效性,为进一步在轨检校相机内部静态参数提供了前提。     

基于MME/KF的电推进器推力在轨标定算法

为了确保小推力量级电推进器在轨工作的有效性,提出了一种基于MME/KF（Minimum Model Error/Kalman Filter）的电推进器推力在轨标定算法。该算法对推力标定过程为:首先使用飞轮产生一个已知的周期性力矩作用于卫星上,同时姿态控制器发送指令给电推进器来保持卫星的稳定;然后将陀螺仪数据代入MME算法中估计出卫星的角加速度,并利用KF算法实现电推进器在轨标定;最后进行数学仿真。结果表明该算法在常规推力下可以提高在轨标定精度,并且可以实现小推力条件下的在轨标定。