Potential experiments with superconducting magnets in Earth orbit

Several experiments that can be performed in Earth orbit with a superconducting magnet are discussed. They are divided into 2 classes, pure plasma physics experiments that can be performed in near Earth orbit and planetary magnetosphere simulation experiments that are best conducted in weak background fields distant from the Earth. The later are all based on the Minimag concept where plasma is directed toward a large dipolar magnet in Earth orbit to form a model miniature magnetosphere. Several experiments that cannot be performed in ground based laboratories and tests that cannot be made in the real magnetosphere can be carried out in Earth orbit. The creation of a miniature model of the magnetosphere (Minimag) forms the basis for several of these experiments.     

太阳同步卫星轨道参数的容许偏差分析

飞行任务对卫星轨道提出指标要求，这些指标决定了卫星轨道参数的容许偏差范围。结合太阳同步(准)回归轨道卫星的轨道特性，针对覆盖重叠率、太阳同步等指标，使用解析方法讨论了大气阻力摄动影响下轨道参数的容许偏差，通过分析可以初步确定轨道控制策略及能量需求，最终为轨道保持方法的设计提供参考和依据。     

单通道测量条件下DORIS实时定轨方法研究

重点研究了单通道测量条件下的DORIS实时定轨方法。推导了实时定轨的扩展卡尔曼滤波（EKF）公式,仿真生成了47个测站的观测数据文件,分析了单通道测量条件下EKF滤波器的收敛性及其精度。仿真实验表明,仅有单个测站的观测数据时,滤波难以收敛;但在不同测站的观测数据切换时,滤波收敛效果显著。对于轨道高度为800km的卫星,初轨各轴位置误差小于500m、速度误差小于5m/s时,滤波平均收敛时间约55min;若各项系统误差能准确建模,实时轨道的位置精度将优于40cm。     

Geostationary orbit determination for time synchronization using analytical dynamic models

A real time analytical orbit determination method has been developed for precision national time synchronization. The one-way time transfer technique via a geostationary TV satellite standard time and frequency signal (STFS) dissemination system was considered. The differential method was also applied for mitigating errors in geostationary satellite STFS dissemination system. Analytical dynamic orbit determination with extended Kalman filter (EKF) was implemented to improve differential mode STFS (DSTFS) service accuracy by acquiring better accuracy of a geostationary satellite position. The perturbation force models applied for satellite dynamics include the geopotential perturbation up to fifth degree and order harmonics, luni-solar perturbations, and solar radiation pressure. All of the perturbation effects were analyzed by secular, short, and long period variations for equinoctial orbit elements such as semimajor axis, eccentricity vector, inclination vector, and mean right ascension of the geostationary satellite. The reference stations for orbit determination were composed of four calibrated stations. Simulations were performed to evaluate the performance of real time analytical orbit determination in Korea. The simulation results demonstrated that it is possible to determine real time position of geostationary satellite with the accuracy of 300 m rms. This performance implies that the time accuracy is better than 25 ns all over the Korean peninsula. The real time analytical orbit determination method developed in this research can provide a reliable, extremely high accurate time synchronization service through setting up domestic-only benchmarks.     

Overview of the image science objectives and mission phases

The Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) mission uses a suite of imaging instruments to investigate the global response of the magnetosphere to changing solar wind conditions. Detailed science questions that fall under this broad objective include plasma processes that occur on the dayside, flanks, and nightside of the magnetosphere. The IMAGE orbit has been carefully designed to optimize the investigation of these plasma processes as the orbit precesses through the magnetospheric regions. We discuss here the phasing of the IMAGE orbit during the two-year prime mission and the relationship between the orbit characteristics and the critical science objectives of the mission.     

Orbit Determination Accuracies Using Satellite-to-Satellite Tracking

The results are reported of the ATS-6/GEOS-3 and the ATS-6 NIMBUS-6 satellite-to-satellite orbit determination experiments. NASA intends to use the tracking data relay satellite system for operational orbit determination of NASA satellites. Hence, in the near future, satellite-to-satellite tracking data will be routinely processed to obtain orbits. The satellite-to-satellite tracking system used in the ATS-6/NIMBUS-6 and ATS-6/GEOS-3 experiments performed with a resolution of 1 to 2 m in range and less than 1 mm/s in range rate for a 10-s averaging. A Bayesian least squares estimation technique utilizing independent ranging to the synchronous relay satellite was determined to be the most effective procedure for estimating orbits from satellite-to-satellite tracking data. The use of this technique yields estimates of user satellite orbits which are comparable in accuracy to what is usually obtained from ground based systems.     

ARTEMIS Science Objectives

NASA??s two spacecraft ARTEMIS mission will address both heliospheric and planetary research questions, first while in orbit about the Earth with the Moon and subsequently while in orbit about the Moon. Heliospheric topics include the structure of the Earth??s magnetotail; reconnection, particle acceleration, and turbulence in the Earth??s magnetosphere, at the bow shock, and in the solar wind; and the formation and structure of the lunar wake. Planetary topics include the lunar exosphere and its relationship to the composition of the lunar surface, the effects of electric fields on dust in the exosphere, internal structure of the Moon, and the lunar crustal magnetic field. This paper describes the expected contributions of ARTEMIS to these baseline scientific objectives.     

顾及轨道误差的GNSS卫星钟差实时估计策略优化

为提高GNSS卫星钟差实时估计精度，针对GNSS各卫星系统的轨道差异，分析各系统卫星轨道误差对钟差估计的影响，基于距离函数线性化二阶残余项的思想，提出了一种顾及轨道误差的权函数模型，以优化实时卫星钟差估计策略。利用全球均匀分布的IGS和iGMAS跟踪站的实时观测数据进行实验，并与GBM的事后精密钟差进行对比分析。结果表明： GPS精度提高率为6.47%，BDS精度提高率为6.46%，GLONASS精度提高率为7.42%，Galileo精度提高率为7.62%。     

MESSENGER Mission Design and Navigation

Nearly three decades after the Mariner 10 spacecraft’s third and final targeted Mercury flyby, the 3 August 2004 launch of the MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) spacecraft began a new phase of exploration of the closest planet to our Sun. In order to ensure that the spacecraft had sufficient time for pre-launch testing, the NASA Discovery Program mission to orbit Mercury experienced launch delays that required utilization of the most complex of three possible mission profiles in 2004. During the 7.6-year mission, the spacecraft’s trajectory will include six planetary flybys (including three of Mercury between January 2008 and September 2009), dozens of trajectory-correction maneuvers (TCMs), and a year in orbit around Mercury. Members of the mission design and navigation teams optimize the spacecraft’s trajectory, specify TCM requirements, and predict and reconstruct the spacecraft’s orbit. These primary mission design and navigation responsibilities are closely coordinated with spacecraft design limitations, operational constraints, availability of ground-based tracking stations, and science objectives. A few days after the spacecraft enters Mercury orbit in mid-March 2011, the orbit will have an 80° inclination relative to Mercury’s equator, a 200-km minimum altitude over 60°N latitude, and a 12-hour period. In order to accommodate science goals that require long durations during Mercury orbit without trajectory adjustments, pairs of orbit-correction maneuvers are scheduled every 88 days (once per Mercury year).     

A demonstration of sub meter GPS orbit determination and highprecision user positioning

High-accuracy orbits have been determined for satellites of the Global Positioning System (GPS), with submeter orbit accuracy demonstrated for two well-tracked satellites. Baselines of up to 2000 km in North America determined with the GPS orbits shows daily repeatability of 0.3-2 parts in 10⁸ and agree with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) solutions at the level of 1.5 parts in 10 ⁸. Tests used to assess orbit accuracy include orbit repeatability from independent data sets, orbit prediction, ground baseline determination, and formal errors. One satellite tracked for eight hours each day shows RMS errors below 1 m even when predicted more than three days outside of a 1-week data arc. These results demonstrate the powerful relative positioning capability available from differential GPS tracking. Baselines have also been estimated between Florida and sites in the Caribbean region over 1000 km away, with daily repeatability of 1-4 parts in 10⁸. The best orbit estimation strategies included data arcs of 1-2 weeks, process noise models for tropospheric fluctuations, combined processing of GPS carrier phase and pseudorange data, and estimation of GPS solar pressure coefficients     

THEMIS Operations

THEMIS—a five-spacecraft constellation to study magnetospheric events leading to auroral outbursts—launched on February 17, 2007. All aspects of operations are conducted at the Mission Operations Center at the University of California at Berkeley. Activities of the multi-mission operations team include mission and science operations, flight dynamics and ground station operations. Communications with the constellation are primarily established via the Berkeley Ground Station, while NASA’s Ground Network provides secondary pass coverage. In addition, NASA’s Space Network supports maneuver operations near perigee. Following a successful launch campaign, the operations team performed on-orbit probe bus and instrument check-out and commissioning tasks, and placed the constellation initially into a coast phase orbit configuration to control orbit dispersion and conduct initial science operations during the summer of 2007. Mission orbit placement was completed in the fall of 2007, in time for the first winter observing season in the Earth’s magnetospheric tail. Over the course of the first 18 months of on-orbit constellation operations, procedures for instrument configuration, science data acquisition and navigation were refined, and software systems were enhanced. Overall, the implemented ground systems at the Mission Operations Center proved to be very successful and completely adequate to support reliable and efficient constellation operations. A high degree of systems automation is employed to support lights-out operations during off-hours.     

High-precision shape approximation low-thrust trajectory optimization method satisfying bi-objective index

The shape approximation method has been proven to be rapid and practicable in resolving low-thrust trajectory; however, it still faces the challenges of large deviation from the optimal solution and inability to satisfy the specific flight time and fuel mass constraints. In this paper, a modified shape approximation low-thrust model is presented, and a novel constrained optimization algorithm is developed to solve this problem. The proposed method aims at settling the bi-objective optimization o...     

含滚动轴承的同向和反向旋转双转子系统动力学响应

以双转子航空发动机为研究对象,建立了航空发动机双转子-滚动轴承-机匣耦合动力学模型.模型中考虑了低压转子与高压转子的中介轴承耦合作用,滚动轴承模型中考虑了滚动轴承间隙、非线性赫兹接触力以及变柔性VC(varying compliance)振动等因素.利用仿真模型,进行了同向和反向旋转双转子系统的拍振响应分析,结果表明当高低压转子的转速差较小时,双转子系统的拍振响应明显.同时研究了同转和反转双转子系统轴心轨迹响应的差异,研究表明反向旋转双转子系统的轴心轨迹会形成“花瓣”状.最后,利用双转子试验器验证了仿真结果的正确性,进一步验证本文所建模型的正确性.      

航天器快捷交会技术分析

快捷交会对航天乘员与飞行任务都是非常有利的。快捷交会的基本原理是减少调相段飞行圈数;为此,需设计可完成一系列交会程序的较短的飞行时间,并获得与飞行时间相匹配的较小的初相角。快捷交会的关键技术包括提高入轨精度,增强追踪飞行器的自主计算与轨道控制能力,扩大地面站覆盖范围,以及对目标飞行器轨道的精准调整。     

转发式测轨系统地面设备时延测量方法

受地面设备时延误差的影响,转发式测轨系统的卫星定轨精度受到严重制约。为实现卫星精密定轨,地面设备时延误差的精确补偿至关重要,因此需要对地面设备时延进行精确测量。采用一种外环设备时延测量方法,实现对转发式测轨系统地面设备时延的实时测量。经过试验验证和分析,结果表明地面设备时延测量稳定度优于0.3ns,修正地面设备时延误差后的卫星重叠弧段的轨道差RMS值优于2m。     

USB与VLBI联合确定“探测一号”卫星轨道

我国绕月探测工程“嫦娥一号”卫星将以统一S波段(USB)为主,辅以甚长基线干涉仪(VLB I)测轨分系统来完成测控任务。由于“探测一号”卫星轨道与“嫦娥一号”调相轨道段相似,有关单位于2005年3月17日—20日进行了USB和VLB I联合跟踪“探测一号”试验。通过对联合测轨数据的处理,研究了USB—VLB I联合定轨方法,分析了联合定轨和预报精度,得出了一些结论。     

Robot-aided remote inspection experiment on STS-85

The results are presented for the robot-aided spacecraft inspection experiments using a flaw detection algorithm called multi-images overcast (MIO), which were conducted as an extension of NASDA's Manipulator Flight Demonstration mission installed on space shuttle mission STS-85. These experiments are the first step towards research and development of the Orbital Maintenance System to support space systems by inspecting satellites, deorbiting useless satellites, and repairing satellites in orbit to utilize space systems effectively and reliably.     

The LISA Pathfinder Mission

LISA Pathfinder, formerly known as SMART-2, is the second of the European Space Agency’s Small Missions for Advance Research and Technology, and is designed to pave the way for the joint ESA/NASA Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission, by testing the core assumption of gravitational wave detection and general relativity: that free particles follow geodesics. The new technologies to be demonstrated in a space environment include: inertial sensors, high precision laser interferometry to free floating mirrors, and micro-Newton proportional thrusters. LISA Pathfinder will be launched on a dedicated launch vehicle in late 2011 into a low Earth orbit. By a transfer trajectory, the sciencecraft will enter its final orbit around the first Sun-Earth Lagrange point. First science results are expected approximately 3 months thereafter. Here, we give an overview of the mission including the technologies being demonstrated.     

RCD太阳帆航天器人工平动点轨道保持与控制

针对航天器平动点轨道保持问题,研究了含有反射率控制设备(RCD)的太阳帆航天器在日地系共线人工平动点处的轨道保持与控制,同时降低因频繁改变航天器姿态所带来的振动问题。首先,基于太阳帆圆型限制性三体问题,计算了RCD型太阳帆人工平动点位置,给出了太阳帆共线人工平动点三阶Halo轨道,并将其作为参考轨道;然后,将太阳帆动力学方程线性化,采用跟踪控制输出的方法对线性模型进行控制;最后,通过合理选择控制变量矩阵,将控制律代入非线性模型中进行轨道保持控制。仿真结果表明,通过控制RCD太阳帆反射率设备参数及姿态角,实现了长时间的Halo轨道保持,同时大幅减小了太阳帆姿态角的改变,从而减小了帆面振动,为太阳帆航天器长期轨道任务的实现提供了良好的理论依据。     

LIPS III-a solar cell test bed in space

The LIPS III satellite, which was launched into a 1100-km circular orbit of 60° inclination in the spring of 1987, is discussed. LIPS III is a member of the living-plume-shield class of spacecraft, all of which were built around a simple sheet metal plume deflector. The purpose of LIPS III was to provide a testbed for space power sources. An overview of the LIPS III system is given, and the experiments submitted for it, all but one of which were photovoltaic in nature, are described