Electrodynamic stabilization of earth-orbiting satellites in equatorial orbits

A satellite with electrodynamic stabilization system is considered. Based on the method of Lyapunov functions, sufficient conditions of the asymptotic stability of direct equilibrium position of this satellite in the orbital coordinate system under perturbing action of a gravitational moment are obtained. These conditions allow one to ensure a rational choice of parametric control coefficients depending on parameters of the satellite and its orbit.     

Realization of modes of satellite attitude motion with a small level of microaccelerations using electromechanical executive devices

Quasi-static microaccelerations are estimated for a satellite specially designed to perform space experiments in the field of microgravity. Three modes of attitude motion of the spacecraft are considered: passive gravitational orientation, orbital orientation, and semi-passive gravitational orientation. In these modes the lengthwise axis of the satellite is directed along the local vertical, while solar arrays lie in the orbit plane. The second and third modes are maintained using electromechanical executive devices: flywheel engines or gyrodynes. Estimations of residual microaccelerations are performed with the help of mathematical modeling of satellite’s attitude motion under the action of gravitational and aerodynamic moments, as well as the moment produced by the gyro system. It is demonstrated that all modes ensure rather low level of quasi-static microaccelerations on the satellite and provide for a fairly narrow region of variation for the vector of residual microacceleration. The semi-passive gravitational orientation ensures also a limited proper angular momentum of the gyro system.     

Activation of the tail open part during the magnetospheric storm

In each polar cap (PC) we mark out “old PC” observed during quiet time before the event under consideration, and “new PC” that emerges during the substorm framing the old one and expanding the PC total area. Old and new PCs are the areas for the magnetosphere old and new tail lobes, respectively. The new lobe variable magnetic flux Ψ₁ is usually assumed to be active, i.e. it provides the electromagnetic energy flux (Poynting flux) ɛ′ transport from solar wind (SW) into the magnetosphere. The old lobe magnetic flux Ψ₂ is supposed to be passive, i.e. it remains constant during the disturbance and does not participate in the transporting process which would mean the old PC electric field absolute screening from the convection electric field created by the magnetopause reconnection. In fact, screening is observed, but far from absolute. We suggest a model of screening and determine its quantitative characteristics in the selected superstorm. The coefficient of a screening is the β = Ψ₂/Ψ₀₂, where Ψ₀₂ = const is open magnetic flux through the old PC measured prior to the substorm, and Ψ₂ is variable magnetic flux through the same area measured during the substorm. We consider three various regimes of disturbance. In each, the coefficient β decreased during the loading phase and increased at the unloading phase, but the rates and amplitudes of variations exhibited a strong dependence on the regime. We interpreted decrease in β as a result of involving the old PC magnetic flux Ψ₂, which was considered to be constant earlier, in the Poynting flux ɛ′ transport process from solar wind into the magnetosphere. Transport process weakening at the subsequent unloading phase creates increase in β. Estimates showed that coefficient β during each regime and the computed Poynting flux ɛ′ varied manifolds. In general, unlike the existing substorm conception, the new scenario describes an unknown earlier of tail lobe activation process during a substorm growth phase that effectively increases the accumulated tail energy for the expansion and recovery phases.     

迭代制导情况下姿态控制系统稳定性分析方法研究

为了提高火箭的入轨精度和轨道适应能力,我国在新一代运载火箭末级中采用了迭代制导技术,俯仰、偏航程序角根据火箭运动状态和目标轨道参数实时变化,目前工程设计中仍按照固定程序角方式开展稳定性分析。本文推导出迭代制导程序角与火箭速度、位置之间的线性关系式,在国内首次提出了迭代制导情况下的稳定性分析方法,并以新一代运载火箭为例进行了实例计算,结果表明此分析方法正确、可行,具有一定的参考价值。     

基于卡尔曼滤波器的高动态GPS载波跟踪环

为解决传统锁相环( PLL)在高动态环境下对全球定位系统(GPS)信号的跟踪精度问题,将自适应渐消滤波和二级卡尔曼滤波相结合研究了一种新的自适应二级卡尔曼滤波算法,并且提出了一种利用新息协方差计算渐消因子的方法,通过自适应渐消因子在线调节误差协方差矩阵补偿不完整信息的影响,使滤波器在系统模型不完整或者噪声统计特性不准确时仍接近最优.基于自适应二级卡尔曼滤波算法提出了一种高动态GPS载波跟踪环的设计方案.仿真结果表明,提出的方案较传统PLL的跟踪精度有显著提高,频率跟踪精度提高到9.28Hz.     

基于高性能通用计算机的软件基带技术

随着通用计算机和软件处理技术的发展,测控基带软件化已经成为航天测控设备一种新的实现形式。在回顾和总结软件接收机发展历程的基础上,从处理平台、总线交互接口、操作系统、并行处理技术等方面分析软件基带的技术途径,从实时性、时间同步性、可靠性、成本等方面分析软件基带面临的挑战,并展望软件基带的发展前景。     

一种采用速度控制模式的动量轮控制系统

针对以无刷力矩电机驱动的动量轮提出了利用旋转变压器直接求差进行位置反馈闭路控制及以脉冲输入作为加速度给定量输入的控制系统。控制电路由FPGA芯片集成 ,结构简单、有效。初步实验结果表明 ,系统实现了动量轮在± 30 0 0r/min转速范围内速度控制精度优于 2× 10 - 5且加速度响应时间优于 2 0 0ms的预期要求     

Amplitude modulation of VLF emission and absorption of cosmic noise by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pc</Emphasis>5 geomagnetic pulsations in the period of geomagnetic storms on October 30–31, 2003

Modulation of the VLF emission and riometric absorption by Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations is studied in the period of strong geomagnetic disturbances on October 30–31, 2003. Some conclusions about the regime of pitch-angular diffusion into the loss cone are made. The better coincidence of VLF emission modulation with geomagnetic pulsations in other longitude sectors is explained by the global character of excitation of the pulsations and by damping of their amplitudes at the meridian of observation of the VLF emission, which is associated with intensification of auroral electrojets.Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 42, No. 6, 2004, pp. 632–639.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Solovyev, Mullayarov, Baishev, Barkova, Samsonov.     

How we will go to Mars

This article studies the efficiency of ejecting waste generated by the life support system (LSS) of a manned spacecraft to reduce initial mass on low earth orbit. The spacecraft is used for a long-duration interplanetary mission and is equipped with either a chemical or a nuclear-thermal propulsion system. For this study we simulate an optimal control problem for a given spacecraft maneuver. An impulsive approximation of the optimal interplanetary spacecraft trajectory is assumed, which allows us to reduce the general optimal control problem to hierarchic structure of 'outer' and 'inner' subproblems. This structure is analyzed using the Pontryagin's Maximum principle. Numerical results, illustrating the efficiency of waste ejection are shown for typical Earth-Mars transfer trajectories. This results confirm in theory that using a waste ejection system makes an early manned Mars mission possible without having to design and build new, advanced biological LSS.     

The European Astronaut Centre prepares for International Space Station operations

The European Space Agency (ESA) contribution to the International Space Station (ISS) goes much beyond the delivery of hardware like the Columbus Laboratory, its payloads and the Automated Transfer Vehicles. ESA Astronauts will be members of the ISS crew. ESA, according to its commitments as ISS international partner, will be responsible to provide training on its elements and payloads to all ISS crewmembers and medical support for ESA astronauts. The European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne has developed over more than a decade into the centre of expertise for manned space activities within ESA by contributing to a number of important co-operative spaceflight missions. This role will be significantly extended for ISS manned operations. Apart from its support to ESA astronauts and their onboard operations, EAC will have a key role in training all ISS astronauts on ESA elements and payloads. The medical support of ISS crew, in particular of ESA astronauts has already started. This paper provides an overview on status and further plans in building up this homebase function for ESA astronauts and on the preparation towards Training Readiness for ISS crew training at EAC, Cologne. Copyright 2001 by the European Space Agency. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., with permission. Released to IAF/IAA/AIAA to publish in all forms.