Towards the automated operations of large distributed satellite systems. Part 2: Classifications and tools

Recent developments have seen a trend towards larger constellations of spacecraft, with some proposals featuring constellations of more than 10.000 satellites. While similar concepts for large constellations already existed in the past, traditional satellite deployments hardly ever feature groups of more than 100 satellites. This trend towards considerably larger satellite numbers originates from non-traditional design and operations of spacecraft by non-traditional space companies. The evolution in the space sector, precipitated by new players, is often referred to as “Space 4.0” or “New Space”. It necessitates a rethinking of the way satellites and satellite constellations are planned, designed, and operated. New operational paradigms are needed to enable automatic, optimal task definition, and scheduling in a holistic approach.This is the second of two companion papers that investigate the operations of distributed satellite systems. This second article investigates the classification of distributed satellite systems and evaluates commercial tools for automated spacecraft operations, whereas the first article performed a survey of conventional and “new space”operations of spacecraft constellations.Classification metrics for constellations are derived and evaluated with respect to their informative value concerning the operation, the automation, and the scalability of the constellation. The proposed classification system is applied to the Dove and RapidEye constellation and allows for a comparison between the presented automation approaches. Commercial tools for automated spacecraft operations are evaluated for several mission task elements, such as orbit control, orbit maintenance, and collision avoidance. Subsequently, the trends, benefits, and standardization needs for operational automation are identified.     

地基光学图像中本体-帆板结构航天器姿态估计方法

提出一种利用地基光学图像估计空间目标姿态的方法。针对本体-帆板结构航天器外形结构特点，定义了一种不易遮挡的两轴结构特征，设计了地基光学图像中该特征的提取方法；根据航天器成像过程建立了特征点二三维几何投影方程，实现了航天器三维姿态的解算。利用单站序列图像，可获得航天器姿态变化角速度信息。在轨航天器的试验结果表明，本方法能有效地从地基光学图像估计出航天器姿态。     

High precision dynamic model and control considering J2 perturbation for spacecraft hovering in low orbit

For spacecraft hovering in low orbit, a high precision spacecraft relative dynamics model without any simplification and considering J₂ perturbation is established in this paper. Using the derived model, open-loop control and closed-loop control are proposed respectively. Gauss's variation equations and the coordinate transformation method are combined to deal with the relative J₂ perturbation between the two spacecraft. The sliding mode controller is adopted as the closed-loop controller for spacecraft hovering. To improve the control accuracy, the relative J₂ perturbation is regarded as a known parameter term in the closed-loop controller. The external uncertainty perturbations except J₂ perturbation are estimated by numerical difference method, and the boundary layer method is used to weaken the impact of chattering on the sliding mode controller. The open-loop control of spacecraft hovering with the relative J₂ perturbation and without the relative J₂ perturbation are simulated and compared, and the results prove that the accuracy of open-loop control with relative J₂ perturbation has been significantly improved. Similarly, the simulation of the closed-loop control are presented to validate the effectiveness of the designed sliding mode controller, and the results demonstrate that the designed sliding mode controller including the derived relative J₂ perturbation can guarantee the high accuracy and robustness of spacecraft hovering in long-term mission.     

Finite-time relative orbit-attitude tracking control for multi-spacecraft with collision avoidance and changing network topologies

This paper addresses the relative position tracking and attitude synchronization control problem for spacecraft formation flying (SFF). Based on the derived relative coupled six-degree-of-freedom dynamics, a robust adaptive finite-time fast terminal sliding mode controller is proposed to achieve the desired formation in the presence of model uncertainties and external disturbances. It is shown that the designed controller is effective for changing information exchange topology making it robust to node failure. Then, the artificial potential function method is employed to generate collision avoidance schemes to modify the controller such that inter-agent collision avoidance can be ensured during the formation maneuver, which is critical for practical missions. The stability of the overall closed-loop system is proved by using Lyapunov theory. Finally, numerical examples for a given SFF scenario are presented to illustrate the performance of the controller.     

Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulations of spacecraft attitude synchronization using the State-Dependent Riccati Equation technique

A nonlinear control technique pertaining to attitude synchronization problems is presented for formation flying spacecraft by utilizing the State-Dependent Riccati Equation (SDRE) technique. An attitude controller consisting of relative control and absolute control is designed using a reaction wheel assembly for regulator and tracking problems. To achieve effective relative control, the selective state-dependent connectivity is also adopted. The global asymptotic stability of the controller is confirmed using the Lyapunov theorem and is verified by Monte-Carlo simulations. An air-bearing-based Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulator (HILS) is also developed to validate the proposed control laws in real-time environments. The SDRE controller is discretized for implementation of a real-time processor in the HILS. The pointing errors are about 0.2° in the numerical simulations and about 1° in the HILS simulations, and experimental simulations confirm the effectiveness of the control algorithm for attitude synchronization in a spacecraft formation flying mission. Consequently, experiments using the HILS in a real-time environment can appropriately perform spacecraft attitude synchronization algorithms for formation flying spacecraft.     

Practical method to identify orbital anomaly as spacecraft breakup in the geostationary region

Identifying spacecraft breakup events is an essential issue for better understanding of the current orbital debris environment. This paper proposes an observation planning approach to identify an orbital anomaly, which appears as a significant discontinuity in archived orbital history, as a spacecraft breakup. The proposed approach is applicable to orbital anomalies in the geostationary region. The proposed approach selects a spacecraft that experienced an orbital anomaly, and then predicts trajectories of possible fragments of the spacecraft at an observation epoch. This paper theoretically demonstrates that observation planning for the possible fragments can be conducted. To do this, long-term behaviors of the possible fragments are evaluated. It is concluded that intersections of their trajectories will converge into several corresponding regions in the celestial sphere even if the breakup epoch is not specified and it has uncertainty of the order of several weeks.     

Constrained adaptive fault-tolerant attitude tracking control of rigid spacecraft

A saturated fault-tolerant attitude tracking controller for disturbed rigid spacecraft is derived using nonlinear state feedback control method. The proposed controller achieves the constraints of control inputs by directly using the bounded function instead of the traditional saturation compensator technique, and the active tolerance to the partial loss of actuator effectiveness is also achieved by directly using the known bounds of the actuator faults in the controller. Specifically, compared with the traditional saturated control methods, a continuously bounded nonlinear function in the proposed controller is used to guarantee that the actuator outputs are smoothly bounded under the prescribed constraints. Based on some properties of the attitude tracking dynamics, the proposed controller can ensure the attitude tracking errors converge to small neighborhoods of zero via stability analysis in the Lyapunov framework. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the control scheme.     

高精度星相机光学系统像质评价及实现

摘要： 高精度星相机光学系统是实现高性能星相机的关键技术.从工程实际出发，梳理星相机光学系统像质评价的指标，重点论述星点质心位置指标分解、光学系统评价指标分解过程.分析认为星相机光学系统设计过程中需关注质心位置偏差和质心位置与理想像高的偏差、温度分析需兼顾均匀温升及梯度温度变化.给出一个继承于双高斯结构形式的设计实例，结合像差理论进行消热设计和畸变控制，分析不同温度条件下不同类别恒星的质心位置一致性.设计结果表明该光学系统可满足高精度星相机指标要求.     

CCD光斑质心算法的误差分析

文章建立了CCD噪声和像元尺寸对质心算法影响的误差模型.模型表明,当CCD上光斑的束腰ω<0.1个像元时,质心算法的误差大于0.28个像元;当束腰ω>0.5个像元时,像元尺寸对灰度质心算法的影响可忽略不计,影响质心算法的主要因素是CCD随机噪声误差.在ω>0.5个像元的前提下,光斑尺寸越小,质心算法的精度越高.实验与理...     

空间相机上第二代红外探测器驱动电压供电电路设计

文章以空间相机应用为目的,在分析第二代红外探测器驱动电压与输出信号之间相关性的基础上,以某型号第二代红外探测器驱动电压供电电路设计为例,采用高稳定基准电压芯片和低噪声低频运算放大器作为核心器件,提出了以负反馈或电压跟随的电路形式稳定驱动电压供电的方案,并对该方案进行了仿真分析与实验验证.测试结果证实该方案可行有效,能满...