Accurate approximation of in-ecliptic trajectories for E-sail with constant pitch angle

Propellantless continuous-thrust propulsion systems, such as electric solar wind sails, may be successfully used for new space missions, especially those requiring high-energy orbit transfers. When the mass-to-thrust ratio is sufficiently large, the spacecraft trajectory is characterized by long flight times with a number of revolutions around the Sun. The corresponding mission analysis, especially when addressed within an optimal context, requires a significant amount of simulation effort. Analytical trajectories are therefore useful aids in a preliminary phase of mission design, even though exact solution are very difficult to obtain. The aim of this paper is to present an accurate, analytical, approximation of the spacecraft trajectory generated by an electric solar wind sail with a constant pitch angle, using the latest mathematical model of the thrust vector. Assuming a heliocentric circular parking orbit and a two-dimensional scenario, the simulation results show that the proposed equations are able to accurately describe the actual spacecraft trajectory for a long time interval when the propulsive acceleration magnitude is sufficiently small.     

小行星远距离抵近轨道

讨论了小行星引力一阶项可被忽略情况下的小行星远距离轨道设计及动力学。此时,航天器的运动受太阳引力和太阳光压的影响。航天器和小行星的加速度之差在这两者之间形成的独特的相对动力学,为航天器在小行星附近停驻与观测提供特定轨道。完整解决了小行星处于圆形日心轨道这一较简单情况,也考虑和阐述了椭圆轨道情况,并取得了一些初步结果。     

X射线脉冲星导航在行星际轨道上的应用

X射线脉冲星导航技术被认为是新一代导航技术,非常适合于行星际探测.深入分析了利用搜索空间方法求解飞行器真实位置和估计位置相位差的脉冲整周期模糊数,解决了相位导航方法存在的周期模糊数问题.利用轨道动力学模型估计飞行器的位置,并以真实位置和估计位置上的脉冲相位之差作为反馈进行偏差校正.仿真表明,X射线脉冲星导航方法在行星际轨道上是可行和高效的.     

太阳帆航天器行星际轨道转移优化算法

研究基于遗传算法的太阳帆行星际转移轨道的全局优化问题.通过极小值原理推导了太阳帆全局优化控制律,并以太阳帆飞行时间最短为优化目标函数,运用遗传算法对发射时间、到达时间和协态变量初值进行参数优化设计.为了解决轨道转移这一多约束优化问题,在遗传算法中加入动态罚函数.在此理论基础上作了从地球同步轨道出发到火星同步轨道转移和从地球出发与火星交会两个算例,仿真结果表明了该方法在太阳帆转移轨道全局优化中的有效性.     

Effects of optical parameter measurement uncertainties and solar irradiance fluctuations on solar sailing

The heliocentric orbital dynamics of a spacecraft propelled by a solar sail is affected by some uncertainty sources, including possible inaccuracies in the measurement of the sail film optical properties. Moreover, the solar radiation pressure, which is responsible for the solar sail propulsive acceleration generation, is not time-constant and is subject to fluctuations that are basically unpredictable and superimposed to the well-known 11-year solar activity cycle. In this context, this work aims at investigating the effects of such uncertainties on the actual heliocentric trajectory of a solar sail by means of stochastic simulations performed with a generalized polynomial chaos procedure. The numerical results give an estimation of their impact on the actual heliocentric trajectory and identify whether some of the uncertainty sources are more relevant than others. This is a fundamental information for directing more accurate theoretical and experimental efforts toward the most important parameters, in order to obtain an accurate knowledge of the solar sail thrust vector characteristics and, eventually, of the spacecraft heliocentric position.     

Systems design of a hybrid sail pole-sitter

This paper presents the preliminary systems design of a pole-sitter. This is a spacecraft that hovers over an Earth pole, creating a platform for full hemispheric observation of the polar regions, as well as direct-link telecommunications. To provide the necessary thrust, a hybrid propulsion system combines a solar sail with a more mature solar electric propulsion (SEP) thruster. Previous work by the authors showed that the combination of the two allows lower propellant mass fractions, at the cost of increased system complexity. This paper compares the pure SEP spacecraft with the hybrid spacecraft in terms of the launch mass necessary to deliver a certain payload for a given mission duration. A mass budget is proposed, and the conditions investigated under which the hybrid sail saves on the initial spacecraft initial mass. It is found that the hybrid spacecraft with near- to mid-term sail technology has a lower initial mass than the SEP case if the mission duration is 7 years or more, with greater benefits for longer duration missions. The hybrid spacecraft with far-term sail technology outperforms the pure SEP case even for short missions.     

RadioAstron orbit determination and evaluation of its results using correlation of space-VLBI observations

A crucial part of a space mission for very-long baseline interferometery (VLBI), which is the technique capable of providing the highest resolution images in astronomy, is orbit determination of the mission’s space radio telescope(s). In order to successfully detect interference fringes that result from correlation of the signals recorded by a ground-based and a space-borne radio telescope, the propagation delays experienced in the near-Earth space by radio waves emitted by the source and the relativity effects on each telescope’s clock need to be evaluated, which requires accurate knowledge of position and velocity of the space radio telescope. In this paper we describe our approach to orbit determination (OD) of the RadioAstron spacecraft of the RadioAstron space-VLBI mission. Determining RadioAstron’s orbit is complicated due to several factors: strong solar radiation pressure, a highly eccentric orbit, and frequent orbit perturbations caused by the attitude control system. We show that in order to maintain the OD accuracy required for processing space-VLBI observations at cm-wavelengths it is required to take into account the additional data on thruster firings, reaction wheel rotation rates, and attitude of the spacecraft. We also investigate into using the unique orbit data available only for a space-VLBI spacecraft, i.e. the residual delays and delay rates that result from VLBI data processing, as a means to evaluate the achieved OD accuracy. We present the results of the first experience of OD accuracy evaluation of this kind, using more than 5000 residual values obtained as a result of space-VLBI observations performed over 7 years of the RadioAstron mission operations.     

Paths not taken – The Gossamer roadmap’s other options

Highly efficient low-thrust propulsion is increasingly applied beyond commercial use, also in mainstream and flagship science missions, in combination with gravity assist propulsion. Another recent development is the growth of small spacecraft solutions, not in size but in numbers and individual capabilities.Just over ten years ago, the DLR-ESTEC Gossamer Roadmap to Solar Sailing was set up to guide technology developments towards a propellant-less and highly efficient class of spacecraft for solar system exploration and applications missions: small spacecraft solar sails designed for carefree handling and equipped with carried application modules.Soon, in three dedicated Gossamer Roadmap Science Working Groups it initiated studies of missions uniquely feasible with solar sails such as Displaced L₁ (DL1) space weather advance warning and monitoring, Solar Polar Orbiter (SPO) delivery to very high inclination heliocentric orbit, and multiple Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) rendezvous (MNR). Together, they demonstrate the capability of near-term solar sails to achieve at least in the inner solar system almost any kind of heliocentric orbit within 10 years, from the Earth-co-orbital to the extremely inclined, eccentric and even retrograde. Noted as part of the MNR study, sail-propelled head-on retrograde kinetic impactors (RKI) go to this extreme to achieve the highest possible specific kinetic energy for the deflection of hazardous asteroids.At DLR, the experience gained in the development of deployable membrane structures leading up to the successful ground deployment test of a (20 m)², i.e., 20 m by 20 m square solar sail at DLR Cologne in 1999 was revitalized and directed towards a 3-step small spacecraft development line from as-soon-as-possible sail deployment demonstration (Gossamer-1) via in-flight evaluation of sail attitude control actuators (Gossamer-2) to an envisaged proving-the-principle flight in the Earth-Moon system (Gossamer-3). First, it turned the concept of solar sail deployment on its head by introducing four separable Boom Sail Deployment Units (BSDU) to be discarded after deployment, enabling lightweight 3-axis stabilized sailcraft. By 2015, this effort culminated in the ground-qualified technology of the DLR Gossamer-1 deployment demonstrator Engineering Qualification Model (EQM). For mission types using separable payloads, such as SPO, MNR and RKI, design concepts can be derived from the BSDU characteristic of DLR Gossamer solar sail technology which share elements with the separation systems of asteroid nanolanders like MASCOT. These nano-spacecraft are an ideal match for solar sails in micro-spacecraft format whose launch configurations are compatible with ESPA and ASAP secondary payload platforms.Like any roadmap, this one contained much more than the planned route from departure to destination and the much shorter distance actually travelled. It is full of lanes, narrow and wide, detours and shortcuts, options and decision branches. Some became the path taken on which we previously reported. More were explored along the originally planned path or as new sidings in search of better options when circumstance changed and the project had to take another turn. But none were dead ends, they just faced the inevitable changes when roadmaps face realities and they were no longer part of the road ahead. To us, they were valuable lessons learned or options up our sleeves. But for future sailors they may be on their road ahead.     

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.     

SEP events and multi-spacecraft observations: Constraints on theory

Fifteen solar energetic particle (SEP) events have been analyzed using proton flux data recorded by the Helios 1, Helios 2, and IMP 8 spacecraft in the energy range ∼4–40 MeV during 1974–1982. For each of the events at least two of the spacecraft have their nominal magnetic footpoint within 20° in heliocentric longitude from each other. The SEP events are sub-grouped as a function of their heliocentric longitudinal separation and heliocentric radial distance from the SEP associated solar flare and several case studies are presented in this paper. Main results concerning their usage in estimating the SEP radial dependence are given. Moreover, we investigate the behavior of the third not connected spacecraft in order to study the dependence of the proton flux as a function of flare location. It is found that the contribution of the longitudinal gradient in determining variations in the SEP proton flux is particularly relevant for spacecraft having their magnetic connection footpoint separated from the flare between 30° and 50°.     

主带小行星采样返回任务中的离子电推进应用方案

由于离子电推进的高比冲特性,采用它执行小行星探测器巡航阶段轨道机动任务时,将使探测器在同样的有效载荷下的发射重量大大减轻。针对我国规划中的主带小行星采样返回任务,调研了国外离子电推进在深空探测任务中的应用情况,在借鉴国外成功经验和任务需求分析的基础上,设计了主带小行星探测器离子电推进系统方案和应用策略,计算了在目前离子推力器寿命水平下,既定探测任务对离子电推进推力、比冲、推进剂量以及功耗需求。研究表明,目前研制的离子推力器可以满足规划中的主带小行星探测任务需求。研究成果对探测器的方案设计有参考价值。     

Imaging interplanetary CMEs at radio frequency from solar polar orbit

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) represent a great concentration of mass and energy input into the lower corona. They have come to be recognized as the major driver of physical conditions change in the Sun–Earth system. Consequently, observations of CMEs are important for understanding and ultimately predicting space weather conditions. This paper discusses a proposed mission, the Solar Polar Orbit Radio Telescope (SPORT) mission, which will observe the propagation of interplanetary CMEs to distances of near 0.35 AU from the Sun. The orbit of SPORT is an elliptical solar polar orbit. The inclination angle between the orbit and ecliptic plane should be about 90°. The main payload on board SPORT will be an imaging radiometer working at the meter wavelength band (radio telescope), which can follow the propagation of interplanetary CMEs. The images that are obtained by the radio telescope embody the brightness temperature of the objectives. Due to the very large size required for the antenna aperture of the radio telescope, we adopt interferometric imaging technology to reduce it. Interferometric imaging technology is based on indirect spatial frequency domain measurements plus Fourier transformation. The SPORT spacecraft will also be equipped with a set of optical and in situ measurement instruments such as a EUV solar telescope, a solar wind ion instrument, an energetic particle detector, a magnetometer, a wave detector and a solar radio burst spectrometer.     

A new modeling method of solar energetic proton events for ISO specification

Solar energetic protons degrade performance and reliability of spacecraft systems due to single-event effects, total dose effects and displacement damage in electronics components including solar cells. On designing a solar cell panel, a total fluence of solar energetic protons (SEPs) which cause solar cell damage is needed to estimate power loss of the solar cells over mission life. Nowadays a solar panel area of spacecraft is increasing as spacecraft mission life becomes longer (15–18 years). Thus an accurate SEP model is strongly required for the cost-minimum design from the aerospace industry. The SEP model, JPL-91 proposed by Feynman et al., is currently used widely for solar cell designing. However, it is known that the JPL-91 model predicts higher fluences of protons than values actually experienced in space, especially after 7 years on orbit. In addition, the model is based on several assumptions, and also needs Monte-Carlo simulations for calculating fluences. In this study, we propose a new method for modeling SEPs especially focused on solar cell degradation. The newly-proposed method is empirical, which constructs a model based directly upon proton flux measurement data taken by instruments onboard spacecraft. This method has neither assumptions nor dependence on SEP event selection, both of which are needed in JPL-91. The model fluences derived from this method show lower fluences in longer missions compared to JPL-91. This method has been proposed to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and has been discussed for a new standard SEP model.     

Dynamical analysis of a spinning solar sail

This paper discusses the orbit and attitude dynamics of a solar sail, and gives the sufficient conditions of a stable orbit and attitude coupled system. The stability of the coupled system is determined by the orbit stability and attitude stability. Based on the sufficient conditions, a spin-stabilized solar sail of cone configuration is proposed to evolve in the heliocentric displaced orbit. For this kind of configuration, the attitude is always stable by spinning itself. The orbit stability depends on the orbit parameters of the heliocentric displaced orbit, the ratio of the orbit radius to displaced distance and orbit angular velocity. If the center of mass and center of pressure overlap, it can be proved that the coupled system is stable when the orbit parameters are chosen in the stable region. When the center of mass and center of pressure offset exists, the stability of the coupled system can not be judged. A numerical example is given and the result shows that both the orbit and attitude are stable for the case.     

基于三体系统平动点轨道的环日全景任务轨道设计

在空间开展太阳观测是研究太阳活动周、太阳爆发、极端天气等事件起源的重要手段。环日全景探测计划是为实现从黄道面360°全方位观察太阳行星际空间而提出的。本文针对环日全景探测计划,构建了基于三体系统平动点低能量轨道的环日全景轨道部署方法。该方法以日–地L1/L2点Halo轨道幅值及Halo轨道离轨点为变量,以转移轨道飞行时间、入轨机动大小为评价指标,基于三体系统不变流形构建环日全景的转移轨道,并开展轨道优化设计。采用等高线图对设计变量及任务成本进行全局分析。仿真计算表明,轨道部署无法同时满足飞行时间最短与入轨机动最小的要求。设计了轨道机动约束条件下的最优飞行时间解,并给出了基于长三甲运载火箭的一箭双星发射及入轨方案。      

Development of in-situ Space Debris Detector

Due to high relative velocities, collisions of spacecraft in orbit with Space Debris (SD) or Micrometeoroids (MM) can lead to payload degradation, anomalies as well as failures in spacecraft operation, or even loss of mission. Flux models and impact risk assessment tools, such as MASTER (Meteoroid and Space Debris Terrestrial Environment Reference) or ORDEM (Orbital Debris Engineering Model), and ESABASE2 or BUMPER II are used to analyse mission risk associated with these hazards. Validation of flux models is based on measured data. Currently, as most of the SD and MM objects are too small (millimeter down to micron sized) for ground-based observations (e.g. radar, optical), the only available data for model validation is based upon retrieved hardware investigations e.g. Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), Hubble Space Telescope (HST), European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA). Since existing data sets are insufficient, further in-situ experimental investigation of the SD and MM populations are required. This paper provides an overview and assessment of existing and planned SD and MM impact detectors. The detection area of the described detectors is too small to adequately provide the missing data sets. Therefore an innovative detection concept is proposed that utilises existing spacecraft components for detection purposes. In general, solar panels of a spacecraft provide a large area that can be utilised for in-situ impact detection. By using this method on several spacecraft in different orbits the detection area can be increased significantly and allow the detection of SD and MM objects with diameters as low as 100 μm. The design of the detector is based on damage equations from HST and EURECA solar panels. An extensive investigation of those panels was performed by ESA and is summarized within this paper. Furthermore, an estimate of the expected sensitivity of the patented detector concept as well as examples for its implementation into large and small spacecraft are presented.     

Science objectives of the magnetic field experiment onboard Aditya-L1 spacecraft

The Aditya-L1 is first Indian solar mission scheduled to be placed in a halo orbit around the first Lagrangian point (L1) of Sun-Earth system in the year 2018–19. The approved scientific payloads onboard Aditya-L1 spacecraft includes a Fluxgate Digital Magnetometer (FGM) to measure the local magnetic field which is necessary to supplement the outcome of other scientific experiments onboard. The in-situ vector magnetic field data at L1 is essential for better understanding of the data provided by the particle and plasma analysis experiments, onboard Aditya-L1 mission. Also, the dynamics of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) can be better understood with the help of in-situ magnetic field data at the L1 point region. This data will also serve as crucial input for the short lead-time space weather forecasting models.The proposed FGM is a dual range magnetic sensor on a 6?m long boom mounted on the Sun viewing panel deck and configured to deploy along the negative roll direction of the spacecraft. Two sets of sensors (tri-axial each) are proposed to be mounted, one at the tip of boom (6?m from the spacecraft) and other, midway (3?m from the spacecraft). The main science objective of this experiment is to measure the magnitude and nature of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) locally and to study the disturbed magnetic conditions and extreme solar events by detecting the CME from Sun as a transient event. The proposed secondary science objectives are to study the impact of interplanetary structures and shock solar wind interaction on geo-space environment and to detect low frequency plasma waves emanating from the solar corona at L1 point. This will provide a better understanding on how the Sun affects interplanetary space.In this paper, we shall give the main scientific objectives of the magnetic field experiment and brief technical details of the FGM onboard Aditya-1 spacecraft.     

The ESA SMART-1 mission to the Moon with solar electric propulsion

SMART-1 is planned to be the first Small Mission for Advanced Research in Technology of the ESA Scientific Programme Horizons 2000 for a launch at the end of 2001. The mission is dedicated to the testing of new technologies for preparing future cornerstone missions, using Solar Electrical Propulsion in Deep Space. The mission operational lifetime includes a 6–17 months cruise until a lunar orbit (300–10000 km) with 6 month operations. The SMART-1 spacecraft will be launched either on Ariane 5 as auxiliary passenger or on Eurockot. The expected launch mass is 350 kg. This allows to bring a dedicated payload with spacecraft, instrument and electric propulsion diagnostics technologies, as well as giving an opportunity for new lunar geophysical and geochemical studies, and for cruise science on the way to the Moon.     

December 2006 solar extreme events and their influence on the near-Earth space environment: “Universitetskiy-Tatiana” satellite observations

The Russian microsatellite “Universitetskiy-Tatiana” was launched on Jan. 20, 2005 and was both a scientific and educational mission. Its two main aims were declared as: (1) monitoring of the energetic particles dynamics in the near-Earth space environment after solar events and during quiet times, (2) educational activities based on experimental data obtained from the spacecraft. In this paper observations acquired during Dec. 5–16, 2006, known as “Solar Extreme Events 2006”, were analyzed. The “Universitetskiy-Tatiana” microsatellite orbit permits one to measure both solar energetic particle dynamics, variations of the boundary of solar particle penetration, as well as relativistic and sub-relativistic electrons of the Earth’s outer radiation belt during and after magnetic storms. Both relativistic electrons of the Earth’s outer radiation and solar energetic particles are an important source of radiation damage in near-Earth space. Therefore, the presented experimental results demonstrate the successful application of a small educational spacecraft both for scientific and educational programs.     

“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。