Modeling the ionospheric gradient by using VSS base functions and GPS data over Iran

The spatial and temporal variations of ionosphere play an important role in positioning and navigation by the space geodetic techniques. Therefore, the ionospheric gradient should be calculated, analyzed, and applied in both space and time. Spatial gradients of the ionosphere have remarkable delay on the propagation of electromagnetic waves. This study intends to propose a new method for simultaneous modeling of the spatial gradients of ionosphere and VTECs in the local scale for Iran. Vector Spherical Slepian (VSS) base functions are used for the development of this method.Five VSS models with the maximal degrees of L = 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 are taken into account. For implementing the VSS method, 24 permanent GPS stations from the Iranian Permanent GPS Network (IPGN) have been used. The unknown coefficients are estimated with the observations of these stations with least squares technique. Four other stations are used for evaluating the accuracy of the models. Repeatability of baselines is the measure that is used for this purpose. Based on the results obtained, L = 40 is the optimum degree for the VSS model with this input data over Iran.The baselines’ repeatability showed that ionospheric gradients have more influence on the north–south component. Moreover, the spatial gradient is negligible in the east–west and up-down component when a short baseline is processed. In other words, this kind of ionospheric modeling has significant application for baseline, which is longer than 1000 km. In the study, proposed method has improved the long baselines' solution by more than 12%, 18% and 10% in east–west, north–south and up-down components, respectively.     

Exploration life support technology challenges for the Crew Exploration Vehicle and future human missions

As NASA implements the U.S. Space Exploration Policy, life support systems must be provided for an expanding sequence of exploration missions. NASA has implemented effective life support for Apollo, the Space Shuttle, and the International Space Station (ISS) and continues to develop advanced systems. This paper provides an overview of life support requirements, previously implemented systems, and new technologies being developed by the Exploration Life Support Project for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) and Lunar Outpost and future Mars missions. The two contrasting practical approaches to providing space life support are (1) open loop direct supply of atmosphere, water, and food, and (2) physicochemical regeneration of air and water with direct supply of food. Open loop direct supply of air and water is cost effective for short missions, but recycling oxygen and water saves costly launch mass on longer missions. Because of the short CEV mission durations, the CEV life support system will be open loop as in Apollo and Space Shuttle. New life support technologies for CEV that address identified shortcomings of existing systems are discussed. Because both ISS and Lunar Outpost have a planned 10-year operational life, the Lunar Outpost life support system should be regenerative like that for ISS and it could utilize technologies similar to ISS. The Lunar Outpost life support system, however, should be extensively redesigned to reduce mass, power, and volume, to improve reliability and incorporate lessons learned, and to take advantage of technology advances over the last 20 years. The Lunar Outpost design could also take advantage of partial gravity and lunar resources.     

Synergies of Earth science and space exploration

A more flexible policy basis from which to manage our planet in the 21st century is desirable. As one contribution, we note that synergies between space exploration and the preservation of our habitat exist, and that protecting life on Earth requires similar concepts and information as investigations of life beyond the Earth, including the expansion of human presence in space. Instrumentation and data handling to observe both planetary objects and planet Earth are based on similar techniques. Moreover, while planetary surface operations are conducted under different conditions, the technology to probe the surface and subsurface of both the Earth and other planets requires similar tools, such as radar, seismometers, and drilling devices. The Earth observation community has developed some exemplary tools and has featured successful international cooperation in data handling and sharing that could be equally well applied to robotic planetary exploration. Here we propose a network involving both communities that will enable the interchange of scientific insights and the development of new policies and management strategies. Those tools can provide a vital forum through which the management of this planet can be assisted, and in which a new bridge between the Earth-centric and space-centric communities can be built.     

基于干扰观测的无阻力卫星控制器设计

以近地环境下无阻力卫星控制器设计为研究对象,分析近地环境下无阻力卫星主要的干扰源及干扰的特性,建立干扰的动力学模型,通过将干扰扩展为系统状态,建立基于干扰观测的无阻力卫星动力学模型,针对该动力学模型设计混合H2/H∞最优控制器,并以线性矩阵不等式（LMI）形式给出求解控制器的条件和证明控制器的稳定性,仿真结果验证本文提出控制器的稳定性和可行性。
     

气压垂直导航保护区内障碍物自动评估的算法研究

为了降低飞行程序设计过程中障碍物评估工作的复杂度和提高飞行程序设计效率,本文尝试以气压式垂直进近程序为例,在分析相关设计规章基础上,提出了一种保护区自动生成算法,实现障碍物自动评估。经GIS呈现技术进行结果验证,此算法能有效辅助飞行程序设计工作。     

摆动扫描式地球敏感器电信号源研究

摆动扫描式地球敏感器常采用电信号源作为激励参与卫星地面测试.为更真实揭示敏感器自身特性以及减小信号源误差,推导了敏感器测量方程和扫描方程,分析了电信号源的误差来源,并提出了改进的地球敏感器信号源实现算法.该方法概念清晰,计算量小.试验测试结果表明该算法提高了地球敏感器信号源精度.     

Orbit determination by genetic algorithm and application to GEO observation

This paper demonstrates an initial orbit determination method that solves the problem by a genetic algorithm using two well-known solutions for the Lambert’s problem: universal variable method and Battin method. This paper also suggests an intuitive error evaluation method in terms of rotational angle and orbit shape by separating orbit elements into two groups. As reference orbit, mean orbit elements (original two-lines elements) and osculating orbit elements considering the J2 effect are adopted and compared. Our proposed orbit determination method has been tested with actual optical observations of a geosynchronous spacecraft. It should be noted that this demonstration of the orbit determination is limited to one test case. This observation was conducted during approximately 70 min on 2013/05/15 UT. Our method was compared with the orbit elements propagated by SGP4 using the TLE of the spacecraft. The result indicates that our proposed method had a slightly better performance on estimating orbit shape than Gauss’s methods and Escobal’s method by 120 km. In addition, the result of the rotational angle is closer to the osculating orbit elements than the mean orbit elements by 0.02°, which supports that the estimated orbit is valid.     

星载GNSS-R海面风场观测载荷关键技术设计与验证

目前海面风场观测手段有限,基于全球导航卫星系统反射信号处理(global navigation satellite system reflection,GNSS-R)的天基观测为全球风场信息获取提供了全新的手段.GNSS-R海面风速探测技术具有全天时、全天候、低功耗、宽覆盖、多信号源、低成本等特点,日益获得了广泛的关注...     

地月自由返回轨道设计

载人月球探测任务需要着重考虑任务的安全性,能否“自由返回”是很重要的一项指标。在轨道设计上存在两项要求,首先是地月转移,然后是经月球近旁转向并判断能否返回地球,即实现飞越月球以后的无动力返回。文章结合精确的行星历表(DE405),首先比较不同力模型中同一条轨道的返回情况,以确定初始轨道设计过程中需要考虑的摄动力;然后分析了返回时近地距的各种影响因素,包括出发时刻、转移时间、倾角组合等,提出了一种可使返回近地距逐渐向设定的目标值靠拢的单向搜索方法,该方法简单易行,可信度高,能够满足轨道设计时要求的各项约束条件。该工作对中国将要进行的载人月球探测任务中需要用到的自由返回轨道的设计具有一定的参考价值。