An innovative high accuracy autonomous navigation method for the Mars rovers

Autonomous navigation is an important function for a Mars rover to fulfill missions successfully. It is a critical technique to overcome the limitations of ground tracking and control traditionally used. This paper proposes an innovative method based on SINS (Strapdown Inertial Navigation System) with the aid of star sensors to accurately determine the rover?s position and attitude. This method consists of two parts: the initial alignment and navigation. The alignment consists of a coarse position and attitude initial alignment approach and fine initial alignment approach. The coarse one is used to determine approximate position and attitude for the rover. This is followed by fine alignment to tune the approximate solution to accurate one. Upon the completion of initial alignment, the system can be used to provide real-time navigation solutions for the rover. An autonomous navigation algorithm is proposed to estimate and compensate the accumulated errors of SINS in real time. High accuracy attitude information from star sensor is used to correct errors in SINS. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed methods can achieve a high precision autonomous navigation for Mars rovers.     

伞舱系统在火星环境中的运动特性分析

建立了火星大气环境模型和伞舱系统多体动力学模型,通过仿真分析了火星环境下伞舱系统中进入舱的运动特性,并对其在火星环境和地球环境的运动稳定性进行仿真比较分析,得出的相关结论可为探测器火星登陆技术提供参考。     

火星探测的主要科学问题

在太阳系的行星中,火星与地球之间存在最多的相似之处,因此,火星是一颗承载人类最多梦想的星球。火星有水和生命存在的问题,激发了人类火星探索的好奇心,成为人类持续探测火星的推动力。火星的起源和演化与太阳系形成过程的关系,火星与类地行星的共性和特性,是当代行星科学研究的重要内容。为了人类社会的可持续发展,火星可否改造成为适宜人类居住的绿色星球——这些是人类在火星探测中必须面对的重大科学问题。只有这些重大科学问题被一一解答,我们才能清晰地去思考地球和人类自身的未来！     

一种半解析方法火星再入探测器一体化设计模型

提出了一种火星再入探测器的半解析法一体化模型,为未来火星探测器的初步设计提供包括弹道、气动参数、防热系统在内的设计依据。在任务初步设计阶段,由于涉及多个学科,火星大气与地球大气模型差异很大,需要考虑的因素很多,因此需要一个半解析的,能够实时进行弹道、气动参数和防热层温度分布计算的设计工具。该工具应该包括气动外形、弹道、防热为一体的设计模型,且能满足计算负担要求。基于此,提出了一种普遍适应的火星探测器外形定义方程,并对其中的一种特殊情况进行了解析公式的推导。在合理假设的前提下,给出了计算防热层内部温度分布的半解析计算公式,并以MER\|B (Mars Exploration Rover)探测器为例进行了弹道和气动受热仿真。计算结果表明,该一体化计算模型的仿真计算落点与实际落点很接近,达到了火星探测器初步设计阶段一体化的计算要求。
     

Development Progress of China's First Mars Exploration Mission: Its Scientific Objectives and Payloads

China's first Mars exploration mission is scheduled to be launched in 2020. It aims not only to conduct global and comprehensive exploration of Mars by use of an orbiter but also to carry out in situ observation of key sites on Mars with a rover. This mission focuses on the following studies:topography, geomorphology, geological structure, soil characteristics, water-ice distribution, material composition, atmosphere and ionosphere, surface climate, environmental characteristics, Mars internal structure, and Martian magnetic field. It is comprised of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover equipped with 13 scientific payloads. This article will give an introduction to the mission including mission plan, scientific objectives, scientific payloads, and its recent development progress.     

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.     

2020中美阿火星探测任务分析

2020年为火星探测大年,各国相继赶在发射窗口发射自己的火星探测器,截至目前成功赶上发射窗口的国家,按时间先后分别为阿联酋、中国和美国。给出了2020年火星探测发射和到达窗口的“猪排”能量图,从有效载荷、发射窗口、运载火箭、地火转移轨道、火星俘获及着陆、通信等方面,对3个国家发射的探测器进行了对比分析,给出2020年三国火星探测各环节的关键参数,并提取出共同点及不同的特殊之处。     

火星着陆器抛背罩分离体气动特性

为便于火星着陆器抛背罩安全性仿真,针对火星着陆器简化外形开展了背罩分离的定常数值计算,分析了着陆平台与背罩之间的气动效应,获得了着陆平台与背罩的轴向力系数随分离间距的变化规律。结果表明：初始分离瞬间,由于着陆平台嵌入背罩内部,它们之间的压力接近驻点压力,随着分离间距的增加,背罩与着陆平台之间的压力逐渐由接近驻点压力慢慢过渡到接近底部绕流压力,至分离间距为0.1倍大底直径后,背罩一直处于着陆平台的底部绕流区。分离间距为0~0.06倍大底直径时,背罩的轴向力系数大于着陆平台,容易分离;分离间距为0.06~6倍大底直径时,着陆平台的轴向力系数大于背罩,存在分离后重新结合并发生碰撞的危险,且在分离间距为1倍大底直径时,着陆平台与背罩之间由于回流作用而产生的吸力达到峰值,此时发生碰撞的危险系数最大;分离间距超过6倍大底直径后,背罩的轴向力系数再次超越着陆平台,可以确保抛背罩安全分离。     

火星稀薄大气环境下的四旋翼无人机动力系统初步研究

火星的低气压环境为飞机可能应用于火星探测创造了条件。四旋翼飞机具有结构简单、可靠性高、可空中悬停、可重复起降等众多优势,成为火星探测应用的研究方向之一。文章针对火星四旋翼无人机关键的动力系统,用二维CFD仿真软件建立了螺旋桨模型,仿真分析了桨叶倾角、转速和半径等因素对桨叶升力的影响,并进行了螺旋桨初步方案设计。针对方案还开展了稀薄大气环境下的试验,测试了螺旋桨的升力,获得了与仿真分析一致的结果。文章研究可为火星四旋翼无人机动力系统进一步细化设计提供参考。     

火星探测转移轨道中途修正分析

中途修正分析是深空探测任务设计的关键步骤。首先讨论火星探测中途修正速度增量的求解方法,并由此对多次修正问题进行了Monte Carlo仿真分析。为满足不同的计算需求,针对速度增量的求解问题,给出了精确算法和快速算法两种思路,并对二者的解算精度进行了对比。以2018年某火星探测轨道为例,根据设定误差,计算得出了各次修正速度增量和残余误差随修正时间变化的数据曲线,进而对修正时机的选择问题进行了讨论,并对5次修正策略进行了仿真分析。实验表明,Monte Carlo仿真数据能够直观地反映多次修正的基本规律,讨论结果可以为修正策略的制定提供一种思路和数据参考。