Near real-time BDS GEO satellite orbit determination and maneuver analysis with reversed point positioning

The Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite is a crucial part of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) constellation. However, due to various perturbation forces acting on the GEO satellite, it drifts gradually over time. Thus, frequent orbit maneuvers are required to maintain the satellite at its designed position. During the orbit maneuver and recovery periods, the orbit quality of the maneuvered satellite computed with broadcast navigation ephemeris will be significantly degraded. Furthermore, the conventional dynamic Precise Orbit Determination (POD) approach may not work well, because of a lack of publicly available satellite information for modeling the thrust forces. In this paper, a near real-time approach free of thrust forces modeling is proposed for BDS GEO satellite orbit determination and maneuver analysis based on the Reversed Point Positioning (RPP). First, the station coordinates and receiver clock offsets are estimated by GPS/BDS combined Single Point Positioning (SPP) with single-frequency phase-smoothed pseudorange observations. Then, with the fixed station coordinates and receiver clock offsets, the RPP method can be conducted to determine the GEO satellite orbits. When no orbit maneuvers occur, the proposed method can obtain orbit accuracies of 0.92, 2.74, and 8.30?m in the radial, along-track, and cross-track directions, respectively. The average orbit-only Signal-In-Space Range Error (SISRE) is 1.23?m, which is slightly poorer than that of the broadcast navigation ephemeris. Using four days of GEO maneuvered datasets, it is further demonstrated that the derived orbits can be employed to characterize the behaviors of GEO satellite maneuvers, such as the time span of the maneuver as well as the satellite thrusting accelerations. These results prove the efficiency of the proposed method for near real-time GEO satellite orbit determination during maneuvers.     

Autonomous orbit determination using epoch-differenced gravity gradients and starlight refraction

Autonomous orbit determination via integration of epoch-differenced gravity gradients and starlight refraction is proposed in this paper for low-Earth-orbiting satellites operating in GPS-denied environments.Starlight refraction compensates for the significant along-track position error that occurs from only using gravity gradients and benefits from integration in terms of improved accuracy in radial and cross-track position estimates.The between-epoch differencing of gravity gradients is employed to eliminate slowly varying measurement biases and noise near the orbit revolution frequency.The refraction angle measurements are directly used and its Jacobian matrix derived from an implicit observation equation.An information fusion filter based on a sequential extended Kalman filter is developed for the orbit determination.Truth-model simulations are used to test the performance of the algorithm,and the effects of differencing intervals and orbital heights are analyzed.A semi-simulation study using actual gravity gradient data from the Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) combined with simulated starlight refraction measurements is further conducted,and a three-dimensional position accuracy of better than 100 m is achieved.     

近圆低轨卫星星座相位保持方法

主要研究无轨道高度保持要求的近圆低轨卫星星座相位保持方法.首先根据轨道摄动理论，推导了考虑J2摄动和大气阻尼摄动的卫星相位漂移模型，分别给出基于固定基准星和基于虚拟基准星的相位偏差两种表达方法.在此基础上，按照星座各星轨道衰减一致和不一致两种情况，分别提出两种表示方法理论的和考虑实际控制误差的相位保持策略.通过一个walker星座仿真算例验证了两种方法的有效性.仿真结果显示，两种方法在各星轨道衰减一致和不一致两种情况均可有效完成相位维持任务，当各星轨道衰减一致时两种方法在控制次数和控制总量上无明显差异；在各星轨道衰减不一致情况下，基于固定基准星的相位保持策略更优.     

Feasibility analysis of LEO and GEO large space debris de/re-orbiting taking into account launch mass of spacecraft-collector and its configuration layout

Analysis of the efficiency of two basic strategies for de/re-orbiting large space debris objects to disposal orbits (DO) is given. Large objects in LEO are classified into groups with similar orbital inclinations and comprise primarily last stages of launch vehicles, in GEO vicinity the paper studies upper stages. Under the first de/re-orbiting variant, it is assumed a spacecraft-collector is equipped with several thruster de/re-orbiting kits (TDKs); one of them can be fixed on an object and is capable of de/re-orbiting an object to a DO independently of the collector. In the second variant, a collector operates as a space tug: transfers objects to a DO and then returns to the next objects in line. The authors study possible configuration layouts of collectors in LEO and near GEO. The available analogous projects are analyzed. The efficiency of both de/re-orbiting variants can be properly compared using the estimations of collector's dry mass and having at one's disposal the parameters of the maneuvers required for transfers between all objects in the group. As reasonable criteria of effectiveness, one can consider (separately or jointly) the launch mass of an equipped collector, its ΔV budget, and the required number of such active spacecraft. Two de/re-orbiting variants are compared in terms of these criteria via mass-energy diagrams constructed for each group of objects in both altitude regions. Analysis of these diagrams shows that low Earth orbits can be more efficiently cleaned under the first de-orbiting variant by using a two-stage space system consisting of an active spacecraft carrying TDKs. For GEO, it is expedient to choose the second re-orbiting variant using a single-stage spacecraft. Our analysis shows that LEO cleaning is an order of magnitude more expensive than that for GEO, hence the problem of LEO population should be given increased attention.     

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.     

交会椭圆轨道目标Hill制导误差分析

在交会椭圆轨道目标阶段,Hill制导受各种误差因素的影响。介绍了椭圆轨道目标Hill 制导的误差因素,并着重研究了导航误差和控制误差对终端位置的影响,给出了误差的基本 表达式。与交会圆轨道目标情况进行比较,分析了初始真近点角对导航误差引起的终端位置 偏差的影响。在此基础上给出了一种修正算法,理论上证明了修正算法能显著提高终端位置 的精度。通过Monte\|Carlo方法的仿真结果表明,合理改变初始真近点角能减小导航误差引 起的终端位置偏差,并且修正算法能更有效提高制导精度。
     

V型轮控系统卫星东西位置保持策略优化方法研究

以某在轨GEO卫星为研究对象,探讨了适用于V型轮控系统特点的东西位置保持策略．首先分析了V型轮控系统的工作原理,提出了轮控过程中推力器效率的标定方法和喷气卸载对轨道影响的数学模型;然后深入分析了轮控过程中姿态控制对卫星东西位置保持环及偏心率的影响,提出了延长位保周期的控制策略,并在实际任务中获得了较好的效果．     

飞向晕轨道的探测器轨道优化

晕轨道的稳定流形为从地球到晕轨道的转移轨道设计提供了便利．以往都采用在晕轨道上的目标点施加脉冲,这样,稳定流形只是为转移轨道的设计提供一个初始猜想,探测器并没有运行在稳定流形上,因而并未真正利用稳定流形节省燃料的优势．利用基于序优化理论的微分修正法,研究从晕轨道近地点稳定流形上不同点进入稳定流形所需要的燃料消耗,寻找燃耗最少的转移轨道．仿真表明,对于晕轨道近地点入轨,找到的稳定流形射入点机动比以往的晕轨道入轨点机动节省约33％的燃料消耗．此外,还对晕轨道上不同入轨点的入轨代价进行了研究,得到了晕轨道近地点入轨的最小燃耗解．     

卫星编队飞行相对轨道动力学模型的比较及选用

基于动力学方法推导了几种编队飞行相对轨道动力学模型．分析比较了引力项线性化以及J2摄动引起的模型误差的数量级,给出了模型选取的参考准则以及适用条件,分析了不同模型的适用性．最后选取太阳同步轨道和静止轨道作为数值算例,选取合适的相对轨道动力学模型,验证模型选取准则的有效性．仿真结果表明一定范围内考虑^摄动能提高精度,而超出一定范围J2的引入只会增加复杂性,因此提出的模型选取准则对相对轨道动力学模型的选取有一定的参考价值．     

导航星座不完整对星间自主定轨几何精度因子的影响

星间自主定轨是星座自主导航的关键技术. 在系统建设初期未完成全星座组网、卫星出现故障或受损等情况下, 部分卫星缺失将导致导航星座不完整, 其对星间自主定轨性能的影响值得研究. 本文在提出逐卫星加权最小二乘自主定轨估计方法的基础上, 引入几何精度因子作为衡量星座不完整影响卫星自主定轨性能的指标, 最后以Galileo星座为例进行了仿真与分析. 结果表明, Galileo星座中卫星进行自主定轨时其可视卫星的冗余度较高, 少数卫星缺失不会对星间自主定轨的几何精度因子产生明显影响. 只有当星座缺失卫星数达2/3时, 会使得部分卫星的几何精度因子超差, 卫星自主定轨性能明显下降.