Aiming at a 1-cm Orbit for Low Earth Orbiters: Reduced-Dynamic and Kinematic Precise Orbit Determination

The computation of high-accuracy orbits is a prerequisite for the success of Low Earth Orbiter (LEO) missions such as CHAMP, GRACE and GOCE. The mission objectives of these satellites cannot be reached without computing orbits with an accuracy at the few cm level. Such a level of accuracy might be achieved with the techniques of reduced-dynamic and kinematic precise orbit determination (POD) assuming continuous Satellite-to-Satellite Tracking (SST) by the Global Positioning System (GPS). Both techniques have reached a high level of maturity and have been successfully applied to missions in the past, for example to TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P), leading to (sub-)decimeter orbit accuracy. New LEO gravity missions are (to be) equipped with advanced GPS receivers promising to provide very high quality SST observations thereby opening the possibility for computing cm-level accuracy orbits. The computation of orbits at this accuracy level does not only require high-quality GPS receivers, but also advanced and demanding observation preprocessing and correction algorithms. Moreover, sophisticated parameter estimation schemes need to be adapted and extended to allow the computation of such orbits. Finally, reliable methods need to be employed for assessing the orbit quality and providing feedback to the different processing steps in the orbit computation process. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The development of a Russian communication satellite of small class, operating in the geostationary and high-elliptical orbits

In 1994-1995 Lavochkin Association (Russia) together with the other enterprises in accordance with technical requirements of the Russian Space agency, developed a new Russian communication satellite of a small class that will operate in both the geostationary (GSO) and high-elliptical (HEO) orbits. This satellite may be injected into operational orbits using a SOYUZ-2 launch vehicle (LV) and a FREGAT upper stage (US) from Plesetsk and Baykonur space launch sites (SLS).The main reason for creating such a satellite was to decrease the cost of the support and development of the Russian communication geostationary satellites group.Russian satellites Horizont, Express, Ekran and Gals, which operate in GSO, are the basis of the space segment for communications, radio and TV broadcasting. All of these satellites are injected into GSO by the PROTON LV. PROTON is a launch vehicle of a heavy class. The use of a middle class LV instead of a heavy class will allow to reduce considerably the launch cost. The change of a heavy class LV to a LV of middle class determined one economic reason for this project. Besides, the opportunity to launch S/C into GSO from Russian Plesetsk SLS increases the independence of Russia in the domain of space communications, despite the presence of the contract with Kazachstan about the rent of Baykonur SLS. Finally, use of small satellites with a rather small number of transponders is more effective than the use of big satellites. It will allow also to increase a satellite group (by the launch of additional satellites) precisely in accordance to the development of the ground segment.     

星光折射航天器自主定轨方案比较

当星光透射大气发生折射时 ,用星光折射角精确地反映星光在大气中离地球表面的高度 ,并建立高度、航天器与地球的几何关系。通过对折射角进行观测 ,间接测得地平 ,从而改善了用地平仪直接测地平所造成的航天器自主导航精度低的不足。本文提出了几种利用星光折射的航天器自主定轨方案 ,并作了细致的仿真实验 ,对直接和间接两种测量地平方法以及几种星光折射自主定轨方案进行了分析比较。     

遥感卫星的地面覆盖与轨迹控制

对遥感卫星的地面覆盖进行了分析，提出了为满足应用要求及有效载葆地面覆盖，卫星轨道的的选择方法。文中还讨论了地面轨迹的漂移及为了满足地面覆盖的地面轨这保持问题。     

人造地球卫星初轨计算的单位矢量法

本文在建立两组单位矢量系统Ｒ＊，Ｓ＊，φ＊和ρ＊，Ａ＊，ｈ＊的基础上，给出了初轨计算的新的条件方程形式以及对不等精度、不同类型的观测资料的加权处理方法，这对充分发挥高精度测距资料ρ和测速资料ρ·的作用十分有利。实测计算表明，本方法基本解决了初轨计算中轨道半长轴不易定准的困难，并具有定轨精度高、适用范围广、稳定性能好等优点，对静止卫星转移轨道入轨段超短弧段测量资料的初轨计算，作用尤为明显。     

伴随卫星的燃料-时间优化回收

伴随卫星回收是伴星应用中的一项主要技术。航天任务需求对伴星回收问题不仅提出了最省燃料要求，而且提出了最小时间要求。本文设计了一条稳定的燃料-时间优化回收轨道。从相对运动的Hill方程出发，给出伴星回收问题描述，阐述回收轨道设计思想及稳定回收条件，提出一种有效的螺旋式回收策略，探讨参数确定方法，并对回收轨道的特点和稳定性进行分析，最后研究了燃料消耗量与回收时间及初始相位的关系。仿真结果表明，利用螺旋回收策略，可以保证伴随卫星快速、稳定回收，且能在燃料消耗量与回收时间之间寻求最佳折衷。     

椭圆轨道编队常值推力构形变化控制方法

采用T-H方程作为椭圆轨道编队的动力学描述，推导了常值推力作用下的椭圆轨道编队的构形变化控制方法。通过合理的选择控制量的作用时刻，可达到大量节约燃料的目的。结合该构形控制方法给出了燃料均衡与燃料最优的解决方案；最后，给出的仿真算例说明了本文设计方法的有效性。     

地球静止轨道通信卫星位置保持原理及实施策略

本文从工程应用的角度详尽地介绍了同步通信卫星在定点位置漂移的原因及计算方法，以我国在轨运行的东方红三号卫星和风云二号卫星为例，给出了大量工程实测数据，并给出了定点保持实施策略，它们已经成功地运用到我国在轨同步卫星的管理。     

太阳同步卫星轨道参数的容许偏差分析

飞行任务对卫星轨道提出指标要求，这些指标决定了卫星轨道参数的容许偏差范围。结合太阳同步(准)回归轨道卫星的轨道特性，针对覆盖重叠率、太阳同步等指标，使用解析方法讨论了大气阻力摄动影响下轨道参数的容许偏差，通过分析可以初步确定轨道控制策略及能量需求，最终为轨道保持方法的设计提供参考和依据。