Detection of the high energy component of Jovian electrons in Low Earth Orbit with the PAMELA experiment

The PAMELA experiment is devoted to the study of cosmic rays in Low Earth Orbit with an apparatus optimized to perform a precise determination of the galactic antimatter component of c.r. It is constituted by a number of detectors built around a permanent magnet spectrometer. PAMELA was launched in space on June 15th 2006 on board the Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite for a mission duration of 3 years. The characteristics of the detectors, the long lifetime and the orbit of the satellite, will allow to address several aspects of cosmic-ray physics. In this work we discuss the observational capabilities of PAMELA to detect the electron component above 50 MeV. The magnetic spectrometer allows a detailed measurement of the energy spectrum of electrons of galactic and Jovian origin. Long term measurements and correlations with Earth–Jupiter 13 months synodic period will allow to separate these two contributions and to measure the primary electron Jovian component, dominant in the 50–70 MeV energy range. With this technique it will also be possible to study the contribution to the electron spectrum of Jovian e⁻ reaccelerated up to 2 GeV at the Solar Wind Termination Shock.     

Space qualification tests of the PAMELA instrument

PAMELA is a satellite-borne experiment which will measure the antiparticle component of cosmic rays over an extended energy range and with unprecedented accuracy. The apparatus consists of a permanent magnetic spectrometer equipped with a double-sided silicon microstrip tracking system and surrounded by a scintillator anticoincidence system. A silicon–tungsten imaging calorimeter, complemented by a scintillator shower tail catcher, and a transition radiation detector perform the particle identification task. Fast scintillators are used for Time-of-Flight measurements and to provide the primary trigger. A neutron detector is finally provided to extend the range of particle measurements to the TeV region.PAMELA will fly on-board of the Resurs-DK1 satellite, which will be put into a semi-polar orbit in 2005 by a Soyuz rocket. We give a brief review of the scientific issues of the mission and report about the status of the experiment few months before the launch.     

YODA++: A proposal for a semi-automatic space mission control

YODA++ is a proposal for a semi-automated data handling and analysis system for the PAMELA space experiment. The core of the routines have been developed to process a stream of raw data downlinked from the Resurs DK1 satellite (housing PAMELA) to the ground station in Moscow. Raw data consist of scientific data and are complemented by housekeeping information. Housekeeping information will be analyzed within a short time from download (1 h) in order to monitor the status of the experiment and to foreseen the mission acquisition planning. A prototype for the data visualization will run on an APACHE TOMCAT web application server, providing an off-line analysis tool using a browser and part of code for the system maintenance. Data retrieving development is in production phase, while a GUI interface for human friendly monitoring is on preliminary phase as well as a JavaServerPages/JavaServerFaces (JSP/JSF) web application facility. On a longer timescale (1–3 h from download) scientific data are analyzed. The data storage core will be a mix of CERNs ROOT files structure and MySQL as a relational database. YODA++ is currently being used in the integration and testing on ground of PAMELA data.     

The PAMELA Storage and Control Unit

The PAMELA experiment aims to measure with great precision the antimatter present in our Galaxy in the form of high energy particles; in the same time it will measure the galactic, solar and trapped components of cosmic rays. The experiment will be housed on board a Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite and launched in the year 2005 to fly a 350–600 km orbit with an inclination of 70.4°. All operations of the instrument – including data storage – are handled by the PAMELA Storage and Control Unit (PSCU), which is divided in a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a Mass Memory (MM). The CPU of the experiment is based on a ERC-32 architecture (a SPARC v7 implementation) running a real time operating system (RTEMS). The main purpose of the CPU is to handle slow control, acquire and store data on a 2 GB MM. Communications between PAMELA and the satellite are performed via a 1553B bus. Data acquisition from the sub-detectors (Time-of-Flight counter, Magnetic Spectrometer, Electromagnetic Calorimeter, Anticoincidence shield, Neutron Detector, and Bottom scintillator S4) is performed via a 2 MB/s interface. Download from the PAMELA MM towards the satellite main storage unit is handled by a 16 MB/s bus. The daily amount of data transmitted to ground has been evaluated in not more 20 GB. In this work, we describe the CPU of the experiment and the general software scheme.     

“嫦娥4号”中继星任务分析与系统设计

作为"嫦娥4号"任务的重要组成部分,中继星将为着陆器和巡视器提供中继通信支持。不同于其它月球探测器,中继星首次选择了绕地月L2平动点运行的晕(Halo)轨道以保证对月球背面的着陆器和巡视器提供连续的中继通信服务,面临诸多技术挑战。在对中继星任务特点进行分析的基础上,梳理了研制中的技术难题,包括使命轨道的选择、使命轨道的到达和长期维持、中继通信体制选择等,并提出了解决方案。中继星的总体设计方案概述也在文中给出。     

PAMELA observational capabilities of Jovian electrons

PAMELA is a satellite-borne experiment that has been launched on June 15th, 2006. It is designed to make long duration measurements of cosmic radiation over an extended energy range. Specifically, PAMELA is able to measure the cosmic ray antiproton and positron spectra over the largest energy range ever achieved and will search for antinuclei with unprecedented sensitivity. Furthermore, it will measure the light nuclear component of cosmic rays and investigate phenomena connected with solar and earth physics. The apparatus consists of: a time of flight system, a magnetic spectrometer, an electromagnetic imaging calorimeter, a shower tail catcher scintillator, a neutron detector and an anticoincidence system. In this work a study of the PAMELA capabilities to detect electrons is presented. The Jovian magnetosphere is a powerful accelerator of electrons up to several tens of MeV as observed at first by Pioneer 10 spacecraft (1973). The propagation of Jovian electrons to Earth is affected by modulation due to Corotating Interaction Regions (CIR). Their flux at Earth is, moreover, modulated because every 13 months Earth and Jupiter are aligned along the average direction of the Parker spiral of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field.PAMELA will be able to measure the high energy tail of the Jovian electrons in the energy range from 50 up to 130 MeV. Moreover, it will be possible to extract the Jovian component reaccelerated at the solar wind termination shock (above 130 MeV up to 2 GeV) from the galactic flux.     

“嫦娥4号”中继星任务轨道确定问题初探

"嫦娥4号"任务将采用着陆器、巡视器和绕飞地月拉格朗日L2点中继星进行月球背面的探测,中继星已先期发射,进入环绕地月L2点的晕(Halo)轨道。在中继星使命轨道动力学模型的基础上,通过相关仿真工作,开展了中继星在Halo轨道上的摄动源量级及影响定轨预报的主要因素分析,结果表明:太阳光压摄动是其主要影响因素。为降低其相关影响,提高定轨精度,在太阳光压球模型的基础上,结合中继星在轨运行特点及其星体结构特点,提出了一种求解光压等效面积的方法。经仿真分析,使用修正后的太阳光压球模型进行定轨求解,速度精度可提升约一个量级。     

地震电磁卫星任务规划系统研究

地震电磁卫星任务规划是支持卫星在轨业务运控的核心环节. 通过对地震电磁卫星任务规划系统的研究, 提出了地震电磁探测卫星任务规划的基本原则, 设计了地震电磁探测卫星任务规划系统架构, 分析了系统功能需求和规划处理流程, 在此基础上对地震电磁卫星进行了原型实现.      

空间绳系拖拽系统摆动特性与平稳控制

考虑了任务星与废星的姿态运动以及系统组合体的面内外姿态运动,建立了绳系拖拽离轨系统动力学与控制模型,以切向常值推力下绳系拖拽轨道转移为任务过程,分析了任务星在喷气和零动量轮的限制姿态反馈控制条件下飞行时,废星姿态摆动、系统组合体面内外摆动和任务星姿态运动的规律及相互影响关系。采用留位和阻尼控制相结合的系绳张力复合控制方法,并结合任务星姿态控制,确保绳系拖拽转移安全平稳进行。仿真结果表明:常值推力下绳系拖拽轨道转移时,牵挂点偏置诱发的废星姿态周期性摆动会激发绳系组合体的面内外同频率高阶摆动,星体姿态运动是任务星姿态扰动力矩产生的主要因素;采用张力复合控制可有效消除废星姿态摆动并保持星间相对距离,结合任务星姿态控制,可实现离轨过程的平稳与安全,大幅减少任务星的姿控能耗。      

卫星高功能密度综合电子系统设计

微小卫星综合电子系统承载了卫星大部分功能，是卫星任务处理和控制的中心，未来新的智能化应用、星群应用、通信服务等需求也将由卫星执行，对综合电子系统提出了新的要求。分析了国外典型小卫星综合电子系统，具有功能综合度高、多数功能集中在一台计算机中、卫星功能软件化的特点。设计了基于软件定义的综合电子系统一体化结构，硬件采用高度集成的模块化设计，软件采用分层和组件化设计，将系统功能进行分层，通过软件定义组件的方式实现各层功能和业务。高功能密度综合电子系统由一个通用化的高性能硬件平台和各种可加载的APP软件组成，除传统功能外，还可扩展自主任务管理、星间组网和载荷管理等功能，不仅使卫星的集成度和功能密度大幅提升，还能实现卫星功能重构，达到一星多用、一星多能的目的，有利于紧急时期卫星系统快速构建与应用，对于未来星座组网应用也具有一定意义。     

非圆轨道卫星实现共面悬停的方法

通过矢量控制,使任务卫星始终在目标卫星的轨道平面内飞行,同时保证"任务卫星-目标卫星-地心"的夹角和两颗卫星间的相对距离保持不变,从而实现共面悬停飞行。重点进行了任务卫星悬停飞行的动力学理论分析,推导了悬停飞行过程中任务卫星相对于目标卫星的径向和切向加速度需求,给出了开环控制方案,对不同悬停任务的能量需求进行了对比分析,最后对悬停飞行过程进行了动力学仿真。     

Swarm – An Earth Observation Mission investigating Geospace

The Swarm mission was selected as the 5th mission in ESA’s Earth Explorer Programme in 2004. This mission aims at measuring the Earth’s magnetic field with unprecedented accuracy. This will be done by a constellation of three satellites, where two will fly at lower altitude, measuring the gradient of the magnetic field, and one satellite will fly at higher altitude. The measured magnetic field is the sum of many contributions including both magnetic fields and currents in the Earth’s interior and electrical currents in Geospace. In order to separate all these sources electric field and plasma measurements will also be made to complement the primary magnetic field measurements. Together these will allow the deduction of information on a series of solid earth processes responsible for the creation of the fields measured. The completeness of the measurements on each satellite and the constellation aspect, however, implies simultaneous observations of a unique set of important electrodynamical parameters crucial for the understanding of the physical processes in Geospace, which are an important part of the objectives of the International Living With a Star Programme, ILWS. In this paper an overview of the Swarm science objectives, the mission concept, the scientific instrumentation, and the expected contribution to the ILWS programme will be summarized.     

Mission planning optimization of video satellite for ground multi-object staring imaging

This study investigates the emergency scheduling problem of ground multi-object staring imaging for a single video satellite. In the proposed mission scenario, the ground objects require a specified duration of staring imaging by the video satellite. The planning horizon is not long, i.e., it is usually shorter than one orbit period. A binary decision variable and the imaging order are used as the design variables, and the total observation revenue combined with the influence of the total attitude maneuvering time is regarded as the optimization objective. Based on the constraints of the observation time windows, satellite attitude adjustment time, and satellite maneuverability, a constraint satisfaction mission planning model is established for ground object staring imaging by a single video satellite. Further, a modified ant colony optimization algorithm with tabu lists (Tabu-ACO) is designed to solve this problem. The proposed algorithm can fully exploit the intelligence and local search ability of ACO. Based on full consideration of the mission characteristics, the design of the tabu lists can reduce the search range of ACO and improve the algorithm efficiency significantly. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the conventional algorithm in terms of optimization performance, and it can obtain satisfactory scheduling results for the mission planning problem.     

The Experimental Satellite on Electro-magnetism Monitoring

The Experimental Satellite on Electromagnetism Monitoring (ESEM) was proposed in 2003 and proved in 2013 after 10-years' scientific demonstration. The ESEM mission was proposed to be the first satellite of space-based geophysical fields observation system in China with a lot of application prospects in earthquake science, geophysics, space sciences and so on. And coincide with the mission objectives, the satellite decides to use the Circular Sun Synchronous Orbit with an altitude of 507km and descending node time at 14:00LT. The payload assemble includes 8 instruments, Search-Coil Magnetometer, Electric Field Detector, High precision Magnetometer, GNSS occupation Receiver, Plasma Analyzer, Langmuir Probe, Energetic Particle Detector, and Three-frequency Transmitter. According to the planned schedule, the satellite is due to be launched in 2016-2017 and will be onboard operated for 5 years.      

椭圆轨道卫星空间任意位置悬停的方法

对任务星施加持续的控制加速度,使其在飞行过程中相对于目标卫星的空间位置保持不变,即实现任意位置悬停飞行。通过对任务星与目标星的相对运行分析和重力差异补偿分析,给出了在飞行过程中任务星相对于运行在椭圆轨道上的目标星实现任意位置悬停所需的径向、切向和法向控制加速度公式。最后对典型悬停飞行过程进行了动力学仿真,并对不同悬停飞行任务的能量消耗进行了对比分析,表明在一段时间内对任务星进行轨道悬停是可行的。     

“嫦娥4号”中继星使命轨道段定轨计算与分析

"嫦娥4号"中继星是"嫦娥4号"探测器实现月球背面着陆与巡视的关键,目前正稳定运行在地-月L2点使命轨道上,该使命轨道为平均周期约14天的南族Halo轨道。因任务的需要,中继星本体系+Z轴需调整指向,处于正对太阳和非正对太阳两种状态。太阳光压在中继星+Z轴对日的情况下会加速卫星的角动量累积,增加卫星卸载喷气频次。基于中继星使命轨道段测控支持条件,采用重叠弧段法对两种状态下的中继星定轨精度进行分析与评估。结果表明,在中继星+Z轴非对日运行状态下,重叠弧段位置误差为1.6 km,速度误差为8 mm/s;在中继星+Z轴对日运行状态下,重叠弧段位置误差为0.6 km,速度误差为3 mm/s,这对中继星的长期运行具有重要参考价值。     

量子科学实验卫星的多维数据立方体方法研究

科学实验卫星以科学目标为任务战略导向,需要任务团队结合实际业务运行情况制定阶段实验计划.这些实验计划以任务运行数据为依据,由科学卫星任务各分系统数据分析获得的策略集合综合得到.量子科学实验卫星在轨运行期间会产生大量运行数据,如何有效利用这些数据给不同决策层提供辅助是当前面临的一大难题.目前主流方式主要借助值班日志统计和...     

HXMT satellite for space hard X-ray observation

In this paper, the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope mission is introduced. Its primary objective is to perform the hard X-ray all sky survey of high resolution and high sensitivity. The expected angular resolution and position accuracy of the satellite are better than 10^′ and 2^′, respectively. The preliminary mission design is analyzed. And a new attitude subsystem scheme is presented to meet the high precision demand of attitude determination. A conclusion is drawn that the mission design is feasible. The possible launch of it will significantly advance the astrophysical study.     

CubeSail: A low cost CubeSat based solar sail demonstration mission

CubeSail is a nano-solar sail mission based on the 3U CubeSat standard, which is currently being designed and built at the Surrey Space Centre, University of Surrey. CubeSail will have a total mass of around 3 kg and will deploy a 5 × 5 m sail in low Earth orbit. The primary aim of the mission is to demonstrate the concept of solar sailing and end-of-life de-orbiting using the sail membrane as a drag-sail. The spacecraft will have a compact 3-axis stabilised attitude control system, which uses three magnetic torquers aligned with the spacecraft principle axis as well as a novel two-dimensional translation stage separating the spacecraft bus from the sail. CubeSail’s deployment mechanism consists of four novel booms and four-quadrant sail membranes. The proposed booms are made from tape-spring blades and will deploy the sail membrane from a 2U CubeSat standard structure. This paper presents a systems level overview of the CubeSat mission, focusing on the mission orbit and de-orbiting, in addition to the deployment, attitude control and the satellite bus.