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.     

利用小波分析在轨识别空间目标轨道机动

空间目标的轨道机动往往隐藏在测量噪声中, 不容易被识别出来. 轨道机动可以引起机械能的突变, 用空间目标与航天器的单位质量机械能差作为机动识别的特征信号, 不会引入航天器本身的定轨误差. 用小波多尺度分解处理含噪声的特征信号, 对分解后的数据利用算法识别是否存在机动. 仿真结果表明, 本文提供的方法能有效识别空间目标的轨道机动.      

Orbit Design for Twin-spacecraft Space VLBI

Space Very Long Baseline Interferometry (S-VLBI) is an aperture synthesis technique utilizing an array of radio telescopes including ground telescopes and space orbiting telescopes. It can achieve much higher spatial resolution than that from the ground-only VLBI. In this paper, a new concept of twin spacecraft S-VLBI has been proposed, which utilizes the space-space baselines formed by two satellites to obtain larger and uniform uv coverage without atmospheric influence and hence achieve high quality images with higher angular resolution. The orbit selections of the two satellites are investigated. The imaging performance and actual launch conditions are all taken into account in orbit designing of the twin spacecraft S-VLBI. Three schemes of orbit design using traditional elliptical orbits and circular orbits are presented. These design results can be used for different scientific goals. Furthermore, these designing ideas can provide useful references for the future Chinese millimeter-wave S-VLBI mission.      

单个航天器对Walker星座中多卫星的近距离接近

通过设计航天器轨道,可使航天器发射入轨后无需机动即实现对Walker星座中非共轨的多颗卫星的快速、近距离接近.给出了该轨道的搜索方法以及基于星座特性的代换法,并给出了仿真示例.      

相邻两航天器相对运动近似方程的解析解及比动能方程

给出了地心引力场中受控航天器相对目标航天器运动的推力加速度随时间线性变化时Hill方程的解析解，根据Hill方程导出了受控航天器相对目标航天器运动的比动能方程，并讨论了比动能方程在上述两天器轨道相遇和轨道交会问题中的应用。     

从空间站起飞直接进入行星际转移轨道的可能性

航天技术的发展使空间站作为行星际飞行器的发射基地成为可能。充分利用双曲线剩余速度,使空间飞行器在从空间站起飞、离开空间站轨道后能直接进入飞向其它行星的转移轨道,从能量观点来看,是十分有利的。文章给出这种可能性的约束条件。     

返回式航天器轨道周期变率确定及预报的数值方法

对返回式航天器进行变轨控制计算时要用到平均轨道周期变率,而数值法定轨通常求解的是大气阻力系数,无法直接得到平均轨道周期变率。文章通过建立航天器精密动力学模型、数值积分器、瞬时轨道根数到平均轨道根数的转换算法和平均周期序列多项式拟合算法,提出了一种基于数值法精密轨道确定和预报计算平均轨道周期变率的数值方法。     

Optimal station-keeping near Earth–Moon collinear libration points using continuous and impulsive maneuvers

In this study the gravitational perturbations of the Sun and other planets are modeled on the dynamics near the Earth–Moon Lagrange points and optimal continuous and discrete station-keeping maneuvers are found to maintain spacecraft about these points. The most critical perturbation effect near the L₁ and L₂ Lagrange points of the Earth–Moon is the ellipticity of the Moon’s orbit and the Sun’s gravity, respectively. These perturbations deviate the spacecraft from its nominal orbit and have been modeled through a restricted five-body problem (R5BP) formulation compatible with circular restricted three-body problem (CR3BP). The continuous control or impulsive maneuvers can compensate the deviation and keep the spacecraft on the closed orbit about the Lagrange point. The continuous control has been computed using linear quadratic regulator (LQR) and is compared with nonlinear programming (NP). The multiple shooting (MS) has been used for the computation of impulsive maneuvers to keep the trajectory closed and subsequently an optimized MS (OMS) method and multiple impulses optimization (MIO) method have been introduced, which minimize the summation of multiple impulses. In these two methods the spacecraft is allowed to deviate from the nominal orbit; however, the spacecraft trajectory should close itself. In this manner, some closed or nearly closed trajectories around the Earth–Moon Lagrange points are found that need almost zero station-keeping maneuver.     

圆及椭圆轨道释放绳系子星的方法研究

研究绳系卫星系统质心沿椭圆轨道运动时，子星释放的最佳初始条件，运用变量替代简化动力学控制方程；对圆轨道运动的母星，采用轨道转移方法释放子星，计算弹射变轨参数及过渡轨道终了真近点角。本文取消母星质量远大于子星质量的假设，考虑子星释放过程中绳系卫星系统质心随子星运动的变化，所得结果更具有普遍意义。数值模拟结果表明，所述方法的有效性。     

多站连续波跟踪雷达的测速定轨研究

连续波跟踪测量系统中,测距元通道通常存在较大的系统误差,并且有时出现个别测元数据质量较差,不能应用的情况,而其变化率及其多站测速系统提供的测速数据,精度较高,且测元多,是否可以利用测速元数据直接定轨,精度如何,在实际数据处理及应用中具有重要意义。文章对利用测速元进行航天飞行器定轨进行了详细的研究和大量的计算,获得了相应的理论和计算结果,通过比较,提出了利用样条函数非线性估计轨道的方法,并提供了具体的算法和相应的误差估计公式。理论分析和计算结果表明：该方法轨道估计精度高,成功地解决了测速定轨问题,在实际中有广泛的应用价值。     

The possibilities of polar meteorology,environmental remote sensing,communications and space weather applications from Artificial Lagrange Orbit

The ability to observe meteorological events in the polar regions of the Earth from satellite celebrated an anniversary, with the launch of TIROS-I in a pseudo-polar orbit on 1 April 1960. Yet, after 50 years, polar orbiting satellites are still the best view of the polar regions of the Earth. The luxuries of geostationary satellite orbit including rapid scan operations, feature tracking, and atmospheric motion vectors (or cloud drift winds), are enjoyed only by the middle and tropical latitudes or perhaps only cover the deep polar regions in the case of satellite derived winds from polar orbit. The prospect of a solar sailing satellite system in an Artificial Lagrange Orbit (ALO, also known as “pole sitters”) offers the opportunity for polar environmental remote sensing, communications, forecasting and space weather monitoring. While there are other orbital possibilities to achieve this goal, an ALO satellite system offers one of the best analogs to the geostationary satellite system for routine polar latitude observations.     

Improved kHz-SLR tracking techniques and orbit quality analysis for LEO missions

Satellite gravity field missions such as CHAMP, GRACE and GOCE are designed as low Earth orbiting spacecraft (LEO) with orbit heights of about 250–500 km. The challenging mission objectives require a very precise knowledge of the satellite orbit position in space. For these missions precise orbit information is typically provided by GPS satellite-to-satellite tracking (SST) observations supported by satellite laser ranging (SLR).     

航天器交会飞行设计方法研究

针对半自主飞行追踪星,阐述航天器交会总体设计方法。根据对接点的地理位置范围、共面轨道倾角以及目标星轨道周期与追踪星入轨点地理位置,确定交会飞行时间和两星初始相位差范围。考虑最小轨道机动动力要求与飞行轨迹安全性等因素,并兼顾地面测控条件,设计追踪星远程导引段与相对导航段的轨道机动与飞行轨迹,特别是选择与比较不同的初始轨道、调相轨道与漂移轨道以及保持点停泊时间与最终逼近段飞行时间等交会飞行要素,调整飞行时间、相位差与对接点位置,确定最佳交会飞行方案,完成空间交会任务。     

精确动力学模型中的行星引力辅助轨道设计

轨道设计分为初步设计和精确模型迭代两步,初步设计基于等效脉冲模型,用圆锥曲线拼接法确定时间窗口和引力辅助产生的速度脉冲。精确模型中引力辅助看作是一个连续的过程,将简化模型得到的引力辅助双曲线轨道化为行星心目标B平面参数,以地心逃逸速度作为设计变量,通过微分修正的方法进行求解。通过算例对比分析了简化模型和精确模型设计结果之间的关系,结果表明,引力辅助脉冲等效模型精度较好。     

在轨航天器地气光环境分析

为得出定量化的遥感观测地气光环境数据,建立了简化的航天器地气光分布计算模型,首先将航天器及其各类运行轨道归纳到统一的照明模式中,地气光的分布主要考察航天器轨道面与地球晨昏面的夹角,然后考察航天器在每轨中的具体相位,以建立照度的几何传递关系;随后考察太阳辐照经地表后,最终到达航天器遥感观测载荷的光照度.计算结果能反映地气光在载荷观测方向2π半球视场内的分布情况,根据分布随空间变化的具体量级,对不同的离轴角进行照度积分,可转化为对观测仪器的地气光抑制能力要求.      

Global pictures of the ozone field,from high altitudes,from DE-I

Using the imaging instrumentation aboard the Dynamics Explorer spacecraft (DE-I), total column ozone densities are obtained in the sunlit hemisphere by measuring the intensities of backscattered solar ultraviolet radiation with multiple filters and multiple photometers. The high apogee altitude (23,000 km) of the eccentric polar orbit allows high resolution global-scale images of the terrestrial ozone field to be obtained within 12 minutes. Previous ozone-monitoring spacecraft have required much longer time periods for comparable spatial coverage because of their lower altitudes (<1200 km). The much higher altitude of DE-I also provides hours of continuous imaging of features compared to minutes or seconds with previous spacecraft. Near perigee, high resolution images can be gained with pixel size as small as 3 km to view mesoscale atmospheric variations. Utilizing these data, the effects of planetary-scale, synoptic-scale, and mesoscale dynamical processes, which control the distribution of ozone near the tropopause, can be studied. Preliminary results show short-term (less than one day) variations in the synoptic ozone field and these variations appear to be in accord with meteorological data. Spatial variations in the ozone field are found to be highly negatively correlated with tropopause altitude.     

对空间多目标多次接近的轨道设计

基于单航天器对空间多目标单次接近轨道设计的研究结果, 讨论了单航天器对空间 多目标多次接近的轨道设计问题. 提出了接近指标用于设计能多次接近多个空间目标的航天器轨道;以二体接近轨道为基础, 给出了接近轨道解空间的求取方法; 利用三种轨道调整方法构造了三种复杂度不同的新解并产生算子, 分析了它们的解空间和最优解分布, 采用改进的模拟退火算法求解出最优接近轨道. 仿真实验验证了轨道设计算法的正确性.      

太阳高纬探测器的借力飞行轨道设计

行星借力飞行技术可以节省深空探测任务的能量消耗.针对借助内行星引力向太阳高纬度发射探测器这一科学任务,分别以金星和地球为借力星体,运用圆锥曲线拼接法,通过求解兰伯特问题绘制能量等高线图,搜索多天体交会发射机会,设计探测器与借力体轨道周期之比为1∶ 1或2∶ 3的多次借力行星际轨道,获得相对黄道面成大倾角的目标轨道.分析表明,采用多天体交会借力相比单天体借力可大大降低发射能量;3次借用金星或者地球的引力可以使探测器轨道相对黄道面的倾角达到30°左右;3次地球借力轨道性能为最优,需要的地球发射能量更低,而且飞行器进入目标轨道之前的转移时间较短.      

An empirical solar radiation pressure model for satellites moving in the orbit-normal mode

We present a family of empirical solar radiation pressure (SRP) models suited for satellites orbiting the Earth in the orbit normal (ON) mode. The proposed ECOM-TB model describes the SRP accelerations in the so-called terminator coordinate system. The choice of the coordinate system and the SRP parametrization is based on theoretical assumptions and on simulation results with a QZS-1-like box-wing model, where the SRP accelerations acting on the solar panels and on the box are assessed separately. The new SRP model takes into account that in ON-mode the incident angle of the solar radiation on the solar panels is not constant like in the yaw-steering (YS) attitude mode. It depends on the elevation angle of the Sun above the satellite’s orbital plane. The resulting SRP vector acts, therefore, not only in the Sun-satellite direction, but has also a component normal to it. Both components are changing as a function of the incident angle. ECOM-TB has been used for precise orbit determination (POD) for QZS-1 and BeiDou2 (BDS2) satellites in medium (MEO) and inclined geosynchronous Earth orbits (IGSO) based on IGS MGEX data from 2014 and 2015. The resulting orbits have been validated with SLR, long-arc orbit fits, orbit misclosures, and by the satellite clock corrections based on the orbits. The validation results confirm that—compared to ECOM2—ECOM-TB significantly (factor 3–4) improves the POD of QZS-1 in ON-mode for orbits with different arc lengths (one, three, and five days). Moderate orbit improvements are achieved for BDS2 MEO satellites—especially if ECOM-TB is supported by pseudo-stochastic pulses (the model is then called ECOM-TBP). For BDS2 IGSOs, ECOM-TB with its 9 SRP parameters appears to be over-parameterized. For use with BDS2 IGSO spacecraft we therefore developed a minimized model version called ECOM-TBMP, which is based on the same axis decomposition as ECOM-TB, but has only 2 SRP parameters and is supported by pseudo-stochastic parameters, as well. This model shows a similar performance as ECOM-TB with short arcs, but an improved performance with (3-day) long-arcs. The new SRP models have been activated in CODE’s IGS MGEX solution in Summer 2018. Like the other ECOM models the ECOM-TB derivatives might be used together with an a priori model.     

Solar heavy ion Heinrich fluence spectrum at low earth orbit

Solar heavy ions from the JPL Solar Heavy Ion Model have been transported into low earth orbit using the Schulz cutoff criterion for L-shell access by ions of a specific charge to mass ratio. The NASA Brouwer orbit generator was used to get L values along the orbit at 60 second time intervals. Heavy ion fluences of ions 2≤Z≤92 have been determined for the LET range 1 to 130 MeV-cm²/mg by 60, 120 or 250 mils of aluminum over a period of 24 hours in a 425 km circular orbit inclined 51°. The ion fluence is time dependent in the sense that the position of the spacecraft in the orbit at the flare onset time fixes the relationship between particle flux and spacecraft passage through high L-values where particles have access to the spacecraft.