Earth Observation Technologies for Sustainable Development

The multi-platform, multi-band and multi-mode Earth Observation (EO) system has been established in China in recent years. The advanced technologies are playing more and more important role for sustainable development in whole country. This paper introduces the results and achievements of EO monitoring for agriculture, EO surveying for land resources, EO monitoring for ecological environment, EO support for national surveying and national e-government, natural disaster monitoring and emergency response. It points out that the EO technologies could contribute more to the country, including in the field of global change in the coming decade.      

多GNSS掩星大气探测卫星星座设计

为减少无线电掩星(RO)大气探测星座的卫星数量并增加探测数据量,将北斗（BD）和GPS、Galileo、GLONASS共同作为探测信源,提出一种多全球导航卫星系统（GNSS）掩星大气探测星座概念和优化设计方法。融合先验大气模型和二维射线追踪算法,建立兼容多GNSS信源的掩星事件前向模拟算法,实现掩星事件快速精确仿真;给出多GNSS掩星大气探测星座参数对探测性能的影响特性,降低了星座模型的复杂度;并利用改进的蚁群算法实现星座参数寻优。设计结果与COSMICII星座相比,卫星数量减少2颗,探测数据量增加了40%,探测均匀性提高了67%。     

一种利用地球敏感器的星光导航方法

针对直接敏感地平的红外地平仪-星光导航系统精度低的问题,提出通过建立扁率误差补偿函数,研究扁率引起的姿态角测量误差;建立地心矢量的姿态角误差模型,通过修正地球扁率误差来补偿姿态角,对卫星施加姿态偏转指令调整地心矢量偏移。同时基于SODERN地球红外辐射模型,考虑红外辐射强度随纬度和季节的变化建立真实红外辐射曲线,通过滤波算法获得精确的地球切线边缘的量测信息,提高红外地平仪测量精度。仿真结果表明,该方法有效提高了基于红外地平仪的星光导航定位方法的可靠性和精度,导航位置误差能达到500m左右,较原有系统提高3倍以上。     

DOA estimation for attitude determination on communication satellites

In order to determine an appropriate attitude of three-axis stabilized communication satellites, this paper describes a novel attitude determination method using direction of arrival （DOA） estimation of a ground signal source. It differs from optical measurement, magnetic field measurement, inertial measurement, and global positioning system （GPS） attitude determination. The proposed method is characterized by taking the ground signal source as the attitude reference and acquiring attitude information from DOA estimation. Firstly, an attitude measurement equation with DOA estimation is derived in detail. Then, the error of the measurement equation is analyzed. Finally, an attitude determination algorithm is presented using a dynamic model, the attitude measurement equation, and measurement errors. A developing low Earth orbit （LEO） satellite which tests mobile communication technology with smart antennas can be stabilized in three axes by corporately using a magnetometer, reaction wheels, and three-axis magnetorquer rods. Based on the communication satellite, simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. The method could be a backup of attitude determination to prevent a system failure on the satellite. Its precision depends on the number of snapshots and the input signal-to-noise ratio （SNR） with DOA estimation.     

Analytical long-term evolution and perturbation compensation models for BeiDou MEO satellites

The current paper establishes the analytical models of the long-term evolution and perturbation compensation strategy for Medium Earth Orbits(MEO)shallow-resonant navigation constellation,with application to the Chinese Bei Dou Navigation Satellite System(BDS).The long-term perturbation model for the relative motion is developed based on the Hamiltonian model,and the long-term evolution law is analyzed.The relationship between the control boundary of the constellation and the offset of the orbital elements is analyzed,and a general analytical method for calculating the offset of the orbit elements is proposed.The analytical model is further improved when the luni-solar perturbations are included.The long-term evolutions of the BDS MEO constellation within 10 years are illustrated,and the effectiveness of the proposed analytical perturbation compensation calculation approach is compared with the traditional numerical results.We found the fundamental reason for the nonlinear variations of the relative longitude of ascending node and the mean argument of latitude is the long-periodic variations of the orbital inclination due to the luni-solar perturbations.The proposed analytical approach can avoid the numerical iterations,and reveal the essential relationship between the orbital element offsets and the secular drifts of the constellation configuration.Moreover,there is no need for maintaining the BDS MEO constellation within 10 years while using the perturbation compensation method.     

基于星联网的深空自主导航方案设计

为了降低地面测控系统的负担、提高深空探测器的导航效率,提出了基于星联网的航天器自主导航概念,对星联网的应用体系进行了设计。借助脉冲星、星间链路等手段实现星联网系统中基准航天器完全自主的高精度导航,用户航天器通过与基准航天器或其他用户航天器的交互通信与测量就可以实现自身状态估计。以地月转移任务为例,设计了星联网系统在地月空间的具体应用方案,分析了地月空间基准航天器的配置与自主导航方法,阐述了用户航天器的单层与多层导航策略。对基于脉冲星与星间链路观测的基准航天器自主导航进行了仿真,验证了观测基准航天器或者其他用户航天器时,地月转移段航天器自主导航的可行性。结果表明:基准航天器可以达到20 m的定位精度,用户航天器可以达到优于30 m的定位精度。基于星联网的航天器自主导航是可行的,发展星联网可以为我国构建天基自主基准导航系统提供有力支持。     

Very low thrust station-keeping for low Earth orbiting satellites

Traditional station-keeping for Earth observation satellites with chemical thrusters generally involves maneuvers every couple months that are able to change significantly the semi-major axis and the inclination. These strategies do not scale down to very low thrust level (a few hundreds of μN) electrical thrusters. This paper presents both in-plane and out-of-plane strategies that spread corrections over very long arcs and discretize them to tiny maneuvers every couple orbits, taking into account mission-constraints on maneuvers locations. These strategies scale up to medium thrust strategies, filling the gap between propulsion technologies. The out-of-plane strategy although features a new no-deadband property and controls the full orbital momentum. All strategies allow control very close to the reference (a few hundreds meters in osculating parameters) and very low cost.     

Improving the low orbit satellite tracking ability using nonlinear model predictive controller and Genetic Algorithm

The satellite motion on the reference orbit (RO) with less energy consumption has always persuaded researchers to design optimal control systems. The nonlinear nature and time-varying equations of motion make this quest more challenging. The present study proposes a novel control system for satellite motion on the RO by considering a comprehensive model of its dynamics in orbit and a Nonlinear Model Predictive Controller (NMPC). The NMPC calculates the sub-optimal control inputs of satellite motion reference on the elliptic orbit by minimizing a convex cost function at each stage. Moreover, all weighting parameters of the cost function are optimized by the Genetic Algorithm (GA) to produce less perturbation and guarantee the best NMPC performance. Finally, the implemented NMPC has been compared to a Linear MPC (LMPC). The results show that not only can the NMPC resist against larger errors and perturbations, but it can also compensate for those errors by returning the satellite to its main orbit and maintaining it.     

Closed-form solution of attitude command generation for spin-to-spin maneuver

In recent earth observing missions, agile satellites enable various imaging modes beyond the traditional along-track strip imaging. However, it requires maneuvering with boundary conditions of considerable angular velocity, i.e., spin-to-spin maneuvering. This paper proposes an attitude command generation method for spin-to-spin maneuvering that can provide feedforward commands for the attitude control loop. A general solution for arbitrary flight time is provided which steers a satellite to the given final attitude and angular velocity at the prescribed time. In addition, an alternative method is proposed that further improves the maneuvering speed, which is applicable to small-angle maneuvering cases. The proposed solutions are both closed-form which are more intuitive and easier to comprehend than numerical solutions. It also has a great advantage in computational efficiency, which could enable its use on-board in real time. Numerical examples demonstrate the performance of the proposed methods in a single maneuvering case as well as in a consecutive maneuvering case integrated with a realistic earth observing scenario.     

Asteroid interception and disruption for terminal planetary defense

Modern techniques for planetary defense from comets and asteroids involve the deflection of the bolide via kinetic, gravitational, ablative, or radiative means. While potentially effective, none of these methods are capable of operating in a terminal interdiction mode wherethe threat is discovered with little time prior to impact. We present a practical and effective method for planetary defense which enables extremely short interdiction time scales, but can also operate within longer time scales and can be effective for extremely large threats. Called PI (“Pulverize It”), the method makes use of an array of hypervelocity penetrators which uses the kinetic energy of the asteroid or comet to disrupt it. In the terminal interdiction mode, the fragments of maximum $～10$ m diameter disperse laterally as they continue towards the Earth, and then enter the Earth’s atmosphere where they burn up as a series of airburst events which spatially and temporally de-correlate the energy of the original parent bolide for any arbitrary observer on the ground in the form of acoustical shockwaves and optical pulses. We show that terminal interdiction modes ranging from 2 minutes prior to impact for 20-meter class bolides (such as the Chelyabinsk asteroid), 1 day prior to impact for 100 m-class asteroids, 10 days prior to impact for Apophis-class asteroids ($～370$ m), and even 60 days prior to impact for 1 km-class threats are all possible, though longer warning times are always preferred. Using only technologies readily available today, the PI method allows for a cost-effective and practical roadmap towards robust planetary defense capability.