Study on JAXA elements for international lunar vicinity mission

JAXA has commenced technical research for contributing as a part of international partnership for the space exploration in Lunar vicinity. One of the candidates is the cargo transport mission with the combination of Cryogenic Propulsion Stage(s) (CPS) and a transfer vehicle derived from Japanese un-manned vehicle used for ISS. The CPS needs advanced technologies to keep the propellant for long mission duration and they will be useful in further missions beyond moon. This paper reports the profile of the mission, vehicle configurations, and the transport capabilities.     

Lunar ground penetrating radar: Minimizing potential data artifacts caused by signal interaction with a rover body

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is the leading geophysical candidate technology for future lunar missions aimed at mapping shallow stratigraphy (<5 m). The instrument’s exploration depth and resolution capabilities in lunar materials, as well as its small size and lightweight components, make it a very attractive option from both a scientific and engineering perspective. However, the interaction between a GPR signal and the rover body is poorly understood and must be investigated prior to a space mission. In doing so, engineering and survey design strategies should be developed to enhance GPR performance in the context of the scientific question being asked. This paper explores the effects of a rover (simulated with a vertical metal plate) on GPR results for a range of heights above the surface and antenna configurations at two sites: (i) a standard GPR testing site with targets of known position, size, and material properties, and; (ii) a frozen lake for surface reflectivity experiments. Our results demonstrate that the GPR antenna configuration is a key variable dictating instrument design, with the XX polarization considered optimal for minimizing data artifact generation. These findings could thus be used to help guide design requirements for an eventual flight instrument.     

面向浅层月壤的小型取样器研究

面向浅层月壤取样,设计一种重量轻、功耗低、收缩体积小的卷簧式可伸缩月壤取样器,分别给出取样臂的静力学和动力学模型,并进行有限元分析,研究取样臂几何参数对其最大推力的影响,给出最大推力的数学估计公式,研究取样臂为不同长度时取样器的振动模态,得出取样器谐振频率与取样臂长度呈幂函数关系。实验证明取样器能够在模拟月壤、水泥及黄沙样品表面以下10cm内定量取样,取样器在有、无振动时取样的比较实验表明振动法能够有效提高钻进效率、钻进深度和样品抛丢效率。理论分析、仿真及实验验证了取样器设计的合理性及振动法取样的有效性。     

Simulation software for the spiral trajectory of our Moon

At 4.56 Ga, the accretion of the slowly rotating Solar Nebula led to the formation of Sun and its Planets in the plane of disc of accretion. Moon was formed by accretion from a circumterrestrial disk of debris generated by the glancing angle impact of the young Earth by a Mars size planetary embryo at about 4.5 Ga at a distance of 15,000 km. The Moon since then has migrated to the present position of 384,400 km from the center of the Earth. In course of this outward migration it has slowed down the spin rate of Earth and caused the lengthening of diurnal day length from 5 h initially to 24 h presently. The basic mechanics of Earth–Moon System has been worked out and theoretical determination of lengthening of day curve is carried out. This theoretical lengthening of day curve is compared with the observed lengthening of day curve based on paleobotanical evidences, ancient tidalites and Australian Banded Iron Formation. There is a remarkable correspondence between the two curves except for intermittent deviations due to geographical and geophysical factors. Based on the theoretical curve of lengthening of day, an empirical formula for the lunar orbital radius expansion is determined. Based on this empirical formula, simulation software is developed that gives the correct evolution of the semi-major axis (a) of our Moon for any time span from the inception to the time chosen under study. For mathematical simplicity the system is considered to be a two body rotating system throughout its evolutionary history of 4.5 Gyrs. This simulation draws the Moon’s spiral trajectory from its inception to any subsequent epoch. The terminal epoch is an input to the simulation software to arrive at the spiral trajectory of the Moon from the inception to the given epoch. The basic mechanics of Earth–Moon System and this simulation can be generalized to lay the foundation of simulation software for any Planet–Satellite pair or any Sun-Planet pair in our Solar System or Star-Planet pair in any Extra-Solar System. The basic dynamics has been found to be valid for Star–Planet pair also. So this Simulation Methodology can as well be applied to study the migratory evolution of Gas Giants also.     

月球探测器LP精密定轨及月球重力场模型解算

对美国1998年发射的月球探测器LP任务阶段共19个月的双程测距测速轨道跟踪数据进行了精密定轨,对定轨结果通过轨道残差及重复弧段差异进行了精度评价。利用LP正常任务阶段三个月的轨道跟踪数据进行了月球重力场模型解算,通过重力场功率谱、轨道残差和月球自由空气重力异常对解算模型进行了精度评价。结果表明精密定轨及月球重力场模型解算合理。对进一步融合嫦娥一号轨道跟踪数据和LP数据解算自主的高精度月球重力场模型具有参考意义。
　
     

The Japanese lunar mission SELENE: Science goals and present status

The Japanese lunar mission SELENE (SELenological and ENgineering Explorer) has been in development to target launch scheduled 2007 summer by H-IIA rocket. The SELENE is starting final integration test after SAR (System Acceptance Review), SRR (System Reliability Review) and instrument environment test. The SELENE is a remote-sensing mission orbiting 100 km altitude of the Moon for nominal one year and extended some months to collect the data for studying the origin and evolution of the Moon. Fourteen instruments and experiment systems are preparing for studies of the Moon, in the Moon, and from the Moon; global element and mineral compositions, topological structure, gravity field of whole moon, and electromagnetic and particle environment of the Moon. The new data center SOAC (SELENE Operation and data Analysis Center) are completed to construct in JAXA Sagamihara campus, and end-to-end test will be carried out between SOAC and data downlink stations.     

Optical/radio/pulsars integrated navigation for Mars orbiter

In this paper, we address the issue of the integrated navigation algorithm with different combination of measurements for Mars orbiter. First, system dynamic model and navigation measurement models using optical measurement information, radio measurement information and X-ray pulsars measurement information are respectively established. Second, optical/radio/pulsars integrated navigation algorithm is proposed, and observability analysis of the integrated navigation system is also conducted. Third, adaptive extended Kalman filter is adopted to fuse measurement information and suppress measurement and process noise to optimally estimate the state of Mars orbiter. Monte Carlo simulation results show that optical/radio/pulsars integrated navigation can effectively improve the navigation accuracy and satisfy the navigation requirements of Mars orbiter.     

基于脉冲子结构的探测器结构动力学优化设计

针对传统结构优化设计中,精细化模型求解复杂结构动响应过于耗时的问题,引入保精度、高效的脉冲子结构方法,提出一种考虑结构动力学响应的优化设计流程,并对月球探测器太阳翼结构进行优化分析,获得了太阳翼结构设计参数,有效地提高了太阳翼动力学特性指标,改善了月球探测器关键位置处的动力学环境。结果表明,脉冲子结构方法可以有效应用于航天器结构动力学优化设计,提高优化设计效率,所得优化结果对实际结构设计具有一定指导意义。     

嫦娥一号卫星CCD立体相机月表图像镶嵌

鉴于嫦娥一号CCD相机获取图像的特殊性, 选用投影的方法, 完成了Apollo12, Apollo14和Apollo15登月点区域的月表正视图像镶嵌. 在分析圆柱投影表象的基础上, 推导出了月球割35º Mercator投影公式. 首先读取单轨数据的经纬度和灰度, 进而根据四个角点的经纬度建立空图框, 并根据分辨率、长度比与月球投影理论分别在纵向和横向上进行网格划分, 实现图框的像元化. 通过单轨图像和图框的坐标匹配完成灰度镶嵌, 匹配误差控制在一个像元以内. 对重叠区域的灰度值进行平滑处理, 最终图像还原来完成月表图像的镶嵌. 该方法有普遍适用性, 可以用于其他轨道图像的镶嵌.     

月球车视觉系统的一种匹配算法

针对月球车立体视觉系统对匹配速度和准确度要求较高的特点,提出了一种基于特征约束的区域匹配算法。该算法用多尺度小波变换实现边缘提取和降噪,采用多特征匹配、双向匹配、部分二次采样、选取图像子集等技术保证匹配的速度和精度。最后对匹配结果进行滤波,进一步提高匹配的准确性。