A new approach to the telescope operation method for satellite tracking using a time synchronization technique

For the development of a telescope that is capable of precisely tracking satellites and high-speed operation such as satellite laser ranging, a special method of telescope operation is required. This study aims to propose a new telescope operation method and system configuration for the independent development of a mount and an operation system which includes the host computer. Considering that the tracking of a satellite is performed in real time, communication and synchronization between the two independent subsystems are important. Therefore, this study applied the concept of time synchronization, which is used in various fields of industry, to the communication between the command computer and the mount. In this case, communication delays do not need to be considered in general, and it is possible to cope with data loss. Above all, when the mount is replaced in the future, only the general communication interface needs to be modified, and thus, it is not limited by replacement in terms of the overall system management. The performance of the telescope operation method developed in this study was verified by applying the method to the first mobile SLR system in Korea. This study is significant in that it proposed a new operation method and system configuration, to which the concept of time synchronization was applied, for the observation system that requires an optical telescope.     

An annual variation analysis of the ionospheric spatial gradient over a regional area for GNSS applications

An ionospheric spatial gradient represents the ionosphere delay difference between different locations, and its variation over a specific area is important for implementing differential GNSS systems. An estimation method for the ionospheric spatial gradient over a small regional area is proposed. A plate map model is implemented for the direct estimation of the gradients. Nine years of GPS data were processed to figure out the annual variation of the mean gradient at the mid-geomagnetic latitude of 30° N. Gradients along the north–south direction have a mean of 0.65 mm/km and follow solar-cycle variations.     

Old-Aged Primary Distance Indicators

Old-aged stellar distance indicators are present in all Galactic structures (halo, bulge, disk) and in galaxies of all Hubble types and, thus, are immensely powerful tools for understanding our Universe. Here we present a comprehensive review for three primary standard candles from Population II: (i) RR Lyrae type variables (RRL), (ii) type II Cepheid variables (T2C), and (iii) the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB). The discovery and use of these distance indicators is placed in historical context before describing their theoretical foundations and demonstrating their observational applications across multiple wavelengths. The methods used to establish the absolute scale for each standard candle is described with a discussion of the observational systematics. We conclude by looking forward to the suite of new observational facilities anticipated over the next decade; these have both a broader wavelength coverage and larger apertures than current facilities. We anticipate future advancements in our theoretical understanding and observational application of these stellar populations as they apply to the Galactic and extragalactic distance scale.     

Optimal tracking and formation keeping near a general Keplerian orbit under nonlinear perturbations

This study presents a semi-analytic approach for optimal tracking and formation keeping with high precision. For a continuous-thrust propulsion system, optimal formation keeping problems near a general Keplerian orbit are formulated with respect to a reference trajectory which is an explicit function of time. A nonlinear optimal tracking control law is then derived in generic form as a function of the states by employing generating functions in the theory of Hamiltonian systems. The applicability of the overall process is not affected by the complexity of dynamics and the selection of coordinates. As it allows us to design a nonlinear optimal feedback controller in the Earth-centered inertial frame, a variety of nonlinear perturbations can be incorporated easily without complicated coordinate transformations. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the nonlinear tracking control logic achieves superior tracking accuracy and cost reduction by accommodating higher-order nonlinearities.     

Availability of O(2) and H(2)O(2) on pre-photosynthetic Earth

Old arguments that free O(2) must have been available at Earth's surface prior to the origin of photosynthesis have been revived by a new study that shows that aerobic respiration can occur at dissolved oxygen concentrations much lower than had previously been thought, perhaps as low as 0.05?nM, which corresponds to a partial pressure for O(2) of about 4?×?10(-8) bar. We used numerical models to study whether such O(2) concentrations might have been provided by atmospheric photochemistry. Results show that disproportionation of H(2)O(2) near the surface might have yielded enough O(2) to satisfy this constraint. Alternatively, poleward transport of O(2) from the equatorial stratosphere into the polar night region, followed by downward transport in the polar vortex, may have brought O(2) directly to the surface. Thus, our calculations indicate that this "early respiration" hypothesis might be physically reasonable.     

创新的接触式记忆按钮

美国航空公司成为全球首家在民用飞机的舱门、安定面、方向舵、升降舵等可更换结构部件上安装具有自动识别(AIT)功能的接触式记忆按钮的航空公司。这种接触式记忆按钮的几何外形只有美元的一角硬币那么大,具有大容量和自动化数据采集等特点,可以帮助航空公司高效地监控飞机可更换结构部件的运营历史,为航空公司节约运营成本、提高数据的精确度。据美国航空公司介绍,在这类结构     

Monitoring atomic clocks on board GNSS satellites

A method for monitoring atomic clocks on board Global Navigation Satellites System (GNSS) satellites is described to address the issue of clock related signal integrity in safety–critical applications of GNSS. The carrier-phase time transfer is employed in the clock monitoring method which enables tight tracking of the satellite onboard clocks and thus improves detectability of clock anomalies. Detecting onboard clock anomalies requires the ability to monitor clocks in real time, and a Kalman filter can then be utilized to estimate the phase offsets between the satellite clocks and ground clocks. This study, using the difference between the measured and predicted phase offset as a test statistic, sets a threshold for clock anomalies based on the prediction interval approach. Finally the validity of the monitoring method is examined by processing a set of real GNSS data that includes two recent incidents of clock anomalies in GNSS satellites.     

Sensitivity analyses of satellite propulsion components with their thermal modelling

Performing the sensitivity analyses of the contact conduction and the position of thermostat on the basis of the thermal model established, the study of thermal design is accomplished for the preparation of possible mechanical interface change of the satellite propulsion system depending on the satellite system design. A relatively simple thermal model is taken into consideration for the convenience of the analysis. A variety of the spacecraft bus voltages and the contact resistances are examined as well as the position of thermostat on propulsion components. As a consequence, even though the mechanical interface condition is changed on the same module, the successful thermal design could be achieved if we design the heater to have sufficiently large power with reference to the heritage value of contact resistance. Besides the reasonable performance on the thermal control is assured with the thermostat location errors, if the uncertainty in the position of thermostat is not quite large when assembling tank module.     

Orbit determination performances using single- and double-differenced methods: SAC-C and KOMPSAT-2

In this paper, Global Positioning System-based (GPS) Orbit Determination (OD) for the KOrea-Multi-Purpose-SATellite (KOMPSAT)-2 using single- and double-differenced methods is studied. The requirement of KOMPSAT-2 orbit accuracy is to allow 1 m positioning error to generate 1-m panchromatic images. KOMPSAT-2 OD is computed using real on-board GPS data. However, the local time of the KOMPSAT-2 GPS receiver is not synchronized with the zero fractional seconds of the GPS time internally, and it continuously drifts according to the pseudorange epochs. In order to resolve this problem, an OD based on single-differenced GPS data from the KOMPSAT-2 uses the tagged time of the GPS receiver, and the accuracy of the OD result is assessed using the overlapping orbit solution between two adjacent days. The clock error of the GPS satellites in the KOMPSAT-2 single-differenced method is corrected using International GNSS Service (IGS) clock information at 5-min intervals. KOMPSAT-2 OD using both double- and single-differenced methods satisfies the requirement of 1-m accuracy in overlapping three dimensional orbit solutions. The results of the SAC-C OD compared with JPL’s POE (Precise Orbit Ephemeris) are also illustrated to demonstrate the implementation of the single- and double-differenced methods using a satellite that has independent orbit information available for validation.