An active debris removal parametric study for LEO environment remediation

Recent analyses on the instability of the orbital debris population in the low Earth orbit (LEO) region and the collision between Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 have reignited interest in using active debris removal (ADR) to remediate the environment. There are, however, monumental technical, resource, operational, legal, and political challenges in making economically viable ADR a reality. Before a consensus on the need for ADR can be reached, a careful analysis of its effectiveness must be conducted. The goal is to demonstrate the need and feasibility of using ADR to better preserve the future environment and to explore different operational options to maximize the benefit-to-cost ratio. This paper describes a new sensitivity study on using ADR to stabilize the future LEO debris environment. The NASA long-term orbital debris evolutionary model, LEGEND, is used to quantify the effects of several key parameters, including target selection criteria/constraints and the starting epoch of ADR implementation. Additional analyses on potential ADR targets among the existing satellites and the benefits of collision avoidance maneuvers are also included.     

Coordinated Frequency and Voltage Control of Synchronous Generators

Three different types of controllers, i.e., the conventional controller, the linear optimal controller (LOC), and the variablestructure controller (VSC) are proposed for the coordinatedfrequency and voltage control of synchronous generators. Theinteraction between the frequency and voltage control loops is takeninto account by incorporating both the speed-governing system andthe excitation system into the mathematical model of thesynchronous generator. Results obtained from computer simulationindicate that the variable structure controller can yield the bestdynamic responses following a step load change.     

Excitation control of a synchronous generator using a lookup table

A scheme involving the use of a lookup table is developed for the excitation control of a synchronous generator. The proposed control scheme, generator speed deviation, and acceleration deviation are taken as the input signals. These input signals are sampled and converted to linguistic terms before they are fed into the controller. The controller generates the desired output (control) signal by using a set of production rules (if-then rules) that are based on previous experience to relate the input signals to the output. The output signal is converted from linguistic terms to a numerical value before it is sent to the excitation system of the synchronous machine. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme, digital simulations of a synchronous generator subject to a three-phase fault under different operating conditions were performed. It was found that the controller can improve the dynamic performance of a synchronous generator over a wide range of operating conditions. Since the controller does not require model identification, it is computationally efficient and is suitable for online excitation control, using a microcomputer     

Self-organizing fuzzy learning CLOS guidance law design

A new self-organizing fuzzy logic control (SOFLC) design method is proposed. The proposed method is applied to the command line-of-sight (CLOS) guidance law design. The SOFLC contains two sets of fuzzy inference logic. One is the fuzzy logic controller and the other is the rule modifier. The new learning method of the rule modifier is developed based on a fuzzy learning algorithm. The modification value of each rule is based on the fuzzy firing weight, so that learning of the rule bases is reasonable. Finally, two engagement scenarios are examined, and a comparison between a fuzzy logic control (FLC), an optimal learning FLC, and the proposed SOFLC CLOS guidance laws is made. Simulation results show that the proposed SOFLC guidance law can achieve better guidance performance than the other guidance laws.     

Substorm timings and timescales: A new aspect

The magnetospheric substorm is a fundamental element of magnetospheric disturbances. After more than 40 years of intensive studies, various aspects of substorm morphology have been qualitatively established. Observations from the International Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) mission during the last decade have provided more detailed and complete pictures of substorms than before and, consequently, have provided new insights into substorm mechanisms. From the global auroral imaging it is shown that substorm onsets are locally confined; however, the effects of substorms involve a very large space at different times. Observations relying on in situ techniques can be misleading and can introduce confusion if not properly interpreted. On the other hand, remote sensing techniques such as global auroral imaging not only provide a robust means for studying substorm phenomenology but also yield relatively consistent results. This article reviews and summarizes a number of substorm studies conducted based primarily on global auroral images from NASA's Polar satellite, with a main focus on “quantitative” substorm morphology (i.e., onset timing, locations, energy input, and substorm timescales). These studies conclude that (1) auroral breakups are the most reliable substorm indicator, whereas other commonly used onset proxies may not always be associated with substorms and are subject to a propagation delay; (2) after breakup, the expanded auroral bulge can move either westward (60%) or eastward (40%); and (3) a typical substorm expansion phase lasts ～10 minutes and increases with increasing distances from the onset. A key conclusion from some recent studies seems to suggest that magnetotail reconnection, if it ever exists, is a consequence of substorm expansion onset. These findings provide constraints for substorm models and theories.     

Damping of Generator Oscillations Using Static VAR Compensators

The design of a novel static VAR compensator for the damping of electromechanical oscillation in a synchronous generator is presented. The proposed compensator, which is made up of a fixed capacitor and a thyristor-controlled inductor, is installed at the generator terminal to provide the required damping without deteriorating the voltage profile under disturbance conditions. In order to have better dynamic performance, a supplementary proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller of which the parameters are determined by eigenvalue assignment is incorporated in the static VAR compensators. The dynamic responses of the synchronous machine subjected to a three-phase fault are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the static VAR compensators. A comparison study of the proposed controller and a PID excitation controller is made with respect to damping enhancement and terminal voltage deviation.     

水面波作用下平面射流振翅运动的频率锁定现象

通过激光流动显示 (LIF)和测量方法 ,就表面水波对垂直平面射流的振翅运动的影响进行了实验和理论研究。研究表明 ,在表面波的影响下 ,振翅运动依然存在。同时 ,波高计和多谱勒激光测速仪的测量结果显示 ,当表面波的频率接近但低于射流振翅运动的自然频率时 ,射流振翅运动的实际振动频率将被锁定在表面波的频率上。而当表面波的频率大于射流振翅摆动的自然频率时 ,频率锁定现象将不存在。     

A sensitivity study of the effectiveness of active debris removal in LEO

The near-Earth orbital debris population will continue to increase in the future due to ongoing space activities, on-orbit explosions, and accidental collisions among resident space objects. Commonly adopted mitigation measures, such as limiting postmission orbital lifetimes of satellites to less than 25 years, will slow down the population growth, but will be insufficient to stabilize the environment. To better limit the growth of the future debris population, the remediation option, i.e., removing existing large and massive objects from orbit, needs to be considered. This paper does not intend to address the technical or economical issues for active debris removal. Rather, the objective is to provide a sensitivity study to illustrate and quantify the effectiveness of various remediation options. An effective removal criterion based upon mass and collision probability is developed. This study includes simulations with removal rates ranging from 5 to 20 objects per year, starting in the year 2020. The outcome of each simulation is analyzed and compared with others. The summary of the study serves as a general guideline for future debris removal consideration.     

Multiple target detection using modified high order correlations

This work is concerned with the problem of multiple target track detection in heavy clutter. Using the “modified high order correlation” (HOC) process and a track scoring mechanism a new method is developed to perform data association and track identification in the presence of heavy clutter. Using this new scheme any number of very close, crossing or splitting target tracks can be resolved without increasing the computational complexity of the algorithm. The applicability of the method for continuous detection of target tracks that can originate and terminate at any scan is also demonstrated, In addition, the operating characteristics as a function of the clutter density are also provided. Simulation results on all the cases are presented