Maritime Communications via Satellites Employing Phased Arrays

This paper examines the feasibility of providing maritime mobile telecommunications as a new service via satellites. A global system with a capacity of 10 duplex voice/data channels (plus an interrogation/reply channel) per satellite is described. The capability is achieved with a 0-dB gain UHF antenna in the ship and a UHF phased array in the satellite, which produces 11 steerable beams, each with 30-dB peak gain. The links between satellite and shore are assumed to be at SHF. A dedicated satellite weighs 320 kg, which can be launched with an up-rated Thor-Delta. The prime power requirement of 730 watts is provided by an oriented solar array.     

TDRSS Telecommunications Payload: An Overview

The telecommunications payload is described for the tracking and data relay satellite system (TDRSS). The salient design features of the electronic equipment, as well as the performance requirements that such equipment must satisfy to fulfill NASA and Western Union communication functions are presented. Operational characteristics associated with the single and multiple access channels used to relay information to and from users are also highlighted.     

Distributive Demand-Assigned Packet Switching with Trailer Transmissions

In a packet satellite system using ALOHA type random access techniques, channels and on-board processing may be effectively used to provide significant gains in throughput, delay, and bandwidth efficiency. Motivated by this conjecture, a distributive demand-assigned packet broadcast system through a processing satellite with multiple request channels and user buffers is first presented. This scheme is shown to be able to achieve the above goals except, as any other demand type scheme, it also exhibits relatively poor delay performance at low traffic when compared with pure random access schemes. An extended scheme using trailer transmission to improve delay performance at low traffic is then introduced. Two techniques for handling trailer transmissions are studied and compared. Both are shown to provide lower packet delay at light trafric. lay at light traffic.     

Cross-layer design of LT codes and LDPC codes for satellite multimedia broadcast/multicast services

According to large coverage of satellites, there are various channel states in a satellite broadcasting network. In order to introduce an efficient rateless transmission method to satellite multimedia broadcasting/multicast services with finite-length packets, a cross-layer packet transmission method is proposed with Luby transform （LT） codes for efficiency in the network layer and low density parity check （LDPC） codes for reliability in the physical layer jointly. The codewords generated from an LT encoder are divided into finite-length packets, which are encoded by an LDPC encoder subsequently. Based on noise and fading effects of satellite channels, the LT packets received from an LDPC decoder either have no error or are marked as erased, which can be mod- eled as a binary erasure channels （BECs）. By theoretical analysis on LT parameters and LDPC parameters, the relationships between LDPC code rates in the physical layer and LT codes word lengths in the network layer are investigated. With tradeoffs between the LT codes word lengths and the LDPC code rates, optimized cross-layer solutions are achieved with a binary search algorithm. Verified by simulations, the proposed solution for cross-layer parameters design can provide the best transmission mode according to satellite states, so as to improve throughput performance for satellite multimedia transmission.     

Advanced Picosatellite Experiment

The design of the CAPE I satellite was underway for approximately three years. This interdisciplinary project incorporates electrical, mechanical, and aerospace engineering, as well as computer science and physics. The project hoped to teach students how to design, develop, and maintain a lower Earth orbiting satellite. This satellite was delivered to San Luis Obispo, California, December 5, 2006, where it passed the final integration test in order to qualify for launch. After qualification, the satellite was loaded into the poly-picosatellite orbital deployer or P-POD, which is the deployment system for the satellite. The P-POD holds three CubeSats. Once all three satellites were integrated, it was delivered to Kazakhstan and loaded into the DNEPR Russian Rocket on March 17, 2007. After a few delays, the rocket was launched on April 17,2007. The team is currently monitoring and decoding the CW beacons transmitted by the satellite. The project was broken into several subsystems including mechanical, communications, control and data handling, and power. Each of the systems proved to have their own unique challenges. Being that the majority of the team was electrical engineering students, the mechanical subsystem presented the most difficulty. There is currently a design in progress for the next satellite project, CAPE II. This new satellite will attempt a new benchmark by incorporating more advanced technologies than CAPE I and include other campus entities such as The Wetlands Research Center. The team hopes to deploy buoys into the Gulf of Mexico that will communicate to the CAPE 11 satellite in space and then send data to the ground station at the University. This data will include subjects such as coastal erosion, water temperatures, and drift currents throughout the Gulf. With this data, we can give other organizations the information obtained for their use as well.     

Efficient Utilization of Orbit/Frequency for Satellite Broadcasting

In this paper some basic concepts involved in efficient orbit/spectrum utilization for broadcast satellites are discussed. A theoretical analysis leads to the determination of interference zones and minimum number of frequency channels required for homogeneous systems operating in the 800-MHz and 12-GHz bands. A crossed-beam arrangement of satellite systems is proposed, in which the beams from satellites to service areas cross each other. This arrangement has a more efficient orbit spectrum utilization compared to the identical-longitude approach, in which the subsatellite point has the same longitude as the center of the service area, Based upon practical considerations, the elemental number of frequency channels required for world-wide coverage has been calculated in relation to satellite orbital position, for single-beam and multibeam satellite systems, using the identical-longitude and crossed -beam arrangements.     

Model Development and Adaptive Imbalance Vibration Control of Magnetic Suspended System

对星载磁悬浮单框架控制力矩陀螺,建立其转子的平动与转动的动力学方程。所建模型反映了转子的动、静不平衡特性,以及转子运动与框架、星体运动的耦合关系。模型是主动磁悬浮控制与动框架效应分析的基础。对动、静不平衡量未知的转子,设计了自适应对中控制器。在分散PD、比例交叉反馈控制器与高低通滤波器的基础上,通过动、静不平衡量的辨识与补偿控制,使转子绕其惯量主轴旋转,衰减角动量交换执行机构高速转子因不平衡而对基座产生的干扰力,消除星上主要颤振源,达到降低卫星姿态抖动的目的。     

Strategies for in-orbit calibration of drag-free control systems

Drag-Free Satellites (DFS) are a class of scientific satellite missions designed for research on fundamental physics as well as geodesy. They consist, basically, of a small inner satellite (test mass) located in a cavity inside a larger satellite, the normal one. The Drag-Free Attitude Control System (DFACS) is the most complex technology on-board these satellites. This key technology allows the residual accelerations on experiments on board the satellites to be significantly reduced. In order to achieve this very low disturbance environment (for some missions <10⁻¹⁴ g) the drag-free control system has to be optimized. This optimization process is required because of uncertainties in system parameters that demand a robustness of the control system. This paper will present approaches for in-orbit calibration of drag-free control systems. The discussion includes modeling, with scale factors and cross couplings, possible excitation signals, comparison of different parameter identification/estimation methods as well as simulation results.     

Position-fixing using the USSR's GLONASS C/A code

The possibility of the USSR's global satellite navigation system GLONASS and the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System using a common navigation system can only be determined following exhaustive testing of two systems in a variety of satellite and receiver modes and configurations. The authors describe their first attempts to carry out basic position-fixing and timing measurements with a single-channel, sequencing digital receiver in a C/A code phase-measurement mode using the GLONASS satellites. The receiver used to produce the fixes was a digital sequencing unit with a single stage of downconversion and followed by 1-bit quantization. Code acquisition was accomplished using 1-Q channels measuring code phase. The number of satellites available in the present preoperational phase heavily restricts the time and satellite configurations which can be tested. However, the results have encouraged the authors to propose a range of experiments aimed at evaluating the two systems and eventual integration     

Next generation GPS-aided space navigation systems

The next generation of low cost Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers for space navigation and attitude determination are positioned to take full advantage of the improvements made in the commercial GPS receivers used for terrestrial applications. There have been recent improvements made to the GPS receivers that include the addition of extra GPS satellite channels that can be tracked simultaneously. The older style GPS receivers were only able to handle five channels at a time. In order for proper determination of three-dimensional position, a minimum of four channels was required and the fifth channel of the receiver was reserved to perform search functions for finding the next satellite. This included searching for satellites that could be used to replace exiting satellites moving out of the Field of View (FOV). The search function also enables the GPS receiver to search for the best constellation for maximum performance accuracy. The fifth roaming channel also provided a best next-satellite selection capability in case the field of view to one of the satellites was blocked or shaded.     

Single Channel Per Carrier Satellite Repeater Channel Capacity

This paper analyzes the performance of a number of modulation and speech processing techniques that have been considered for single voice channel per carrier transmissions via satellite. This transmission mode is applicable to demand assignment systems, which make possible the most efficient loading of the satellite transponder in applications where the traffic at individual Earth terminals is not sufficient to justify a substantial number of dedicated channels. The analysis basically determines the operating point for the satellite transponder which minimizes the required Earth terminal G/T. The fraction of the total link noise allocated to uplink noise is treated as a parameter, so that the cost of improving G/T may be traded against the cost of providing increased Earth terminal transmitter power. Both analog and digital modulation techniques are considered, together with various practical combinations of syllabic companding, voice-actuated carriers, and error-correcting codes. The results are presented in general analytic form, applicable to any modulation technique for which carrier-to-noise density ratio, channel width, and guardband width may be specified. Curves showing required G/T as a function of the total number of voice channels per transponder are also presented for the above-mentioned signal processing techniques, assuming "CCIR/CITT type" speech quality and transponder EIRP and bandwidth typical of current domestic satellite configurations.     

全球导航完好性通道（GNIC）方案讨论

国际民航组织(ICAO)将采纳 GPS GLONASS INMARSAT 联合组成的 GNSS 系统供全球导航使用。对系统的增强和完好性监控是至关重要的问题。本文介绍近年来提出的各种地面完好性监控通道(GIC)的方案,包括地面监测台网、地面数据传输的通信链路和卫星转发。重点阐述 INMARSAT 提出的静止卫星加发导航信号的重叠(IGO)概念和全球性完好性监测台网(IMN)。然后进行比较和讨论,并提出需进一步跟踪研究。     

Current Issues and Future Trends: DVB-RCS Satellite Systems

The telecommunications market is reaching new types of customers who require their applications anywhere and anyway. Therefore, the DVB-RCS standard, which had great success in the fixed version is changing in this direction. The main objective of this work is to give an overview of architectures and technologies that can be used for implementation of a first-generation of advanced mobile satellite systems for the provision of broadband multimedia services.     

Single Channel Per Carrier Satellite Repeater Capacity, Part 2

This paper analyzes the performance of a number of speech processing techniques that have been considered for single voice channel per carrier transmissions via satellite. This transmission mode is applicable to demand assigiment systems, which make possible the most efficient loading of the satellite transponder applications where the traffic at individual earth terminals is not sufficient to justify a substantial number of dedicated channels. The analysis basically determines the operating point for the satellite transponder which minimizes the required earth terminal G/T. Both analog and digital modulation techniques are considered, and the effects of syllabic companding and voice actuation of carriers are demonstrated. The results are presented in general analytic form, applicable to any modulation technique for which carrier-to-noise density ratio, channel width, and guardband width may be specified. Full carrier modulation is assumed. Curves are also furnished showing the required G/T and uplink per carrier EIRP as a function of the number of voice channels per transponder and the transponder gain. "CCIR/CCITT type" speech quality is assumed, together with a transponder El RP and bandwidth typical of current domestic satellite configurations.     

A geopause satellite system concept

The forthcoming 10 cm range tracking accuracy capability holds much promise in connection with a number of Earth and ocean dynamics investigations. These include a set of earthquake-related studies of fault motions and the Earth's tidal, polar and rotational motions, as well as studies of the gravity field and the sea surface topography which should furnish basic information about mass and heat flow in the oceans. The state of the orbit analysis art is presently at about the 10 m level, or about two orders of magnitude away from the 10 cm range accuracy capability expected in the next couple of years or so. The realization of a 10 cm orbit analysis capability awaits the solution of four kinds of problems, namely, those involving orbit determination and the lack of sufficient knowledge of tracking system biases, the gravity field, and tracking station locations. The Geopause satellite system concept offers promising approaches in connection with all of these areas. A typical Geopause satellite orbit has a 14 hour period, a mean height of about 4.6 Earth radii, and is nearly circular, polar, and normal to the ecliptic. At this height only a relatively few gravity terms have uncertainties corresponding to orbital perturbations above the decimeter level. The orbit s, in this sense, at the geopotential boundary, i.e., the geopause. The few remaining environmental quantities which may be significant can be determined by means of orbit analyses and accelerometers. The Geopause satellite system also provides the tracking geometery and coverage needed for determining the orbit, the tracking system biases and the station locations. Studies indicate that the Geopause satellite, tracked with a 2 cm ranging system from nine NASA affiliated sites, can yield decimeter station location accuracies. Five or more fundamental stations well distributed in longitude can view Geopause over the North Pole. This means not only that redundant data are available for determining tracking system biases, but also that both components of the polar motion can be observed frequently. When tracking Geopause, the NASA sites become a two-hemisphere configuration which is ideal for a number of Earth physics applications such as the observation of the polar motion with a time resolution of a fraction of a day. Geopause also provides the basic capability for satellite-to-satellite tracking of drag-free satellites for mapping the gravity field and altimeter satellites for surveying the sea surface topography. Geopause tracking a coplanar, drag-free satellite for two months to 0.03 mm per second accuracy can yield the geoid over the entire Earth to decimeter accuracy with 2.5° spatial resolution. Two Geopause satellites tracking a coplanar altimeter satellite can then yield ocean surface heights above the geoid with 7° spatial resolution every two weeks. These data will furnish basic boundary condition information about mass and heat flows in the oceans which are important in shaping weather and climate.     

Satellite Tracking Simultaneous-Lobing Monopulse Receiving System with Polarization Diversity Capability

A 136-MHz to 10-GHz simultaneous-lobing monopulse receiving system, utilizing polarization diversity in both coherent (phase-lock) and noncoherent (nonphase-lock) operational modes, has been developed for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Tracking and Data Acquisition Network (STADAN). This sum-and-difference monopulse system, called APDAR (Advanced Polarization Diversity Autotrack Receiver), utilizes a maximalratio polarization diversity combining technique that matches the receiving antenna polarization to the incoming variable polarization from a spin-stabilized or tumbling satellite. Autotrack performance becomes independent of the incoming polarization orientation by continuous in-phase addition of the carrier-signal components from orthogonal antenna elements. This technique relies upon the principle that fading does not occur simultaneously on oppositely polarized receiving channels. APDAR results in improved autotrack performance by eliminating adverse effects of severe (over 30-dB) cross-polarization fading. The predetection diversity combining technique employed provides an average 3-dB signal-to-noise (SNR) improvement. This paper describes a series of 136-MHz satellite tracking tests and analyzes a maximal-ratio predetection diversity combiner, a three-loop phase-lock loop system, and a frequency-switched radiometer.     

A (design-oriented) reliability model for active phased arrays insatellite communication systems

This paper proposes a modeling approach to relate the power section reliability of satellite payloads to the on-board antenna complexity. The aim of the model is to support the development of design tools for satellite systems adopting active phased arrays. The achieved results are rendered parametric with respect to a key system requirement, the effective isotropic radiated power, due to its direct impact on transmitter configuration and technological features as well as on the critical compromise between transmitter and antenna specifications     

基于矢量跟踪的MEMS-SINS/GNSS深组合导航系统

针对在载体高动态运动时,由Doppler频移剧烈变化而导致的MEMS-SINS/GNSS组合导航系统精度降低的问题,修正了GNSS卫星信号模型,设计了一种深组合导航通道滤波器,并形成了完整的深组合导航方案。基于矢量跟踪结构的深组合导航方案,通过滤波器对载体的导航参数进行估计,将相互独立的各通道信息结合起来,并利用各卫星位置之间的关系,提高了高动态环境中的跟踪能力。仿真结果表明,基于矢量跟踪结构的深组合导航方案可以有效减少高动态对导航精度的影响,提高组合导航系统的输出精度。     

The development of aeronautical mobile satellite services over thepast thirty years

This paper presents an overview of the development of aeronautical mobile satellite services (AMSS) over the past 30 years. The inherent shortcomings of present air-ground HF communications have hindered the development of civil aviation, but according to the Future Air Navigation Systems (FANS) concept aeronautical satellite communication-including Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS)-will be the key to eliminating the shortcomings of HF communication systems. Satellite-based communication and surveillance will significantly improve air traffic control (ATC) over the oceanic and remote terrestrial airspace, and it will benefit civil aviation authorities, airlines as well as passengers. This paper discusses the availability of system elements, and world wide trials, demonstrations and preoperational use of aeronautical satellite communications over past years are described. Future satellite systems possible for aeronautical communications are also discussed     

整星隔振技术的研究现状和发展

为了减小卫星发射时所承受的环境载荷,降低卫星及其设备的质量控制成本,提高卫星发射的可靠性,所以整星隔振技术得以研究和应用。整星隔振是在不改变卫星原结构前提下,重新设计具有隔振效能的适配器,或者在运载火箭和卫星之间引入隔振装置,隔离从星箭界面传递给卫星的轴向或侧向振动。详细介绍了近十年国外整星隔振技术的研究现状,并展望其今后的发展方向。