NeQuick G model based scale factor determination for using SBAS ionosphere corrections at low earth orbit

A space-based augmentation system (SBAS) provides real-time correction data for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) users near ground. In order to use the SBAS ionosphere correction for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, the correction should be scaled down for the LEO altitude. This scale factor varies with ionosphere distribution and it is hard to determine the value at LEO in real time. We propose a real-time scale factor determination method by using Galileo GNSS’s NeQuick G model. A LEO satellite GPS data and SBAS data received on ground were used to evaluate the performance of the NeQuick G derived variable scale factor. The NeQuick G derived scale factor shows a significant accuracy improvement over NeQuick G model or pre-determined constant scale factor. It improves a vertical positioning accuracy of the LEO satellite. The error mean reductions of the vertical positioning over NeQuick G and the constant scale factor are 31.5% and 11.7%, respectively.     

Fuzzy energy-based dual contours model for automated coronal hole detection in SDO/AIA solar disk images

The presence of coronal holes in solar disk plays an important role in influencing the space weather and generation of the solar wind. As such there lies a requirement in proper study and prediction of coronal holes occurs in the solar disk. This, in turn, arises the necessity of detection of coronal holes present in the solar disk. In this work, a Hough transformed inspired fuzzy-energy simulated dual contours-based segmentation technique has been proposed for the detection and extraction of holes in solar disk. In the proposed method Hough transform has been induced to initialize the contour for the contour-based method of segmentation. In the algorithm, two contours (active and static) have been initiated and made to evolve based on the energy function by incorporating the gray-scale intensity. Here in the work one contour is made to deform its shape while the other contour is kept static for the coronal holes detection purpose. The experiment has been carried out on few benchmark datasets and the corresponding outcomes have been compared with the results of other existing algorithms. The comparison results highlight the performance of the proposed technique in detection of coronal holes in solar disk.     

TSTO运载器一级返场轨迹优化设计与在线生成

对水平起降两级入轨（TSTO）运载器一子级返场轨迹优化和轨迹在线生成问题进行了研究。首先，给出了较独特的一子级再入轨迹设计策略：先给定侧向剖面，再分段优化求解三维轨迹。针对返场过程的大幅转向需求，设计了形式简单的倾侧角-航向角偏差剖面，并定义了具有不同任务的航向转弯段和航向微调段；针对一子级宽速域气动变化显著特点，为避免轨迹跳跃，定义了增高减速段和下降滑翔段，并采用分段优化策略求解三维轨迹。其次，针对分离扰动造成的一子级初始状态偏差，扩展了自适应高维伪谱插值（AMPI）算法的参数空间，并将其应用于返场轨迹在线生成问题。仿真结果表明，设计的倾侧角剖面能够在倾侧角不翻转的前提下调整飞行航向对准着陆场，设计的分段优化策略能够保证高度曲线平稳无跳跃，采用的自适应高维伪谱插值算法能够在分离扰动影响下快速准确地实现在线轨迹生成。     

飞行器控制的伪线性系统方法——第一部分：综述与问题

首先将非线性控制方法归纳成三类：基于李雅普诺夫泛函的设计方法、基于最优控制思想的设计方法和以线性为主导的设计方法，并对此三类方法进行了简略的综述。然后进一步在此类划分的框架下概述了飞行器控制的非线性方法，并引入了伪线性系统的概念。最后介绍了卫星姿态与轨道控制、飞行器制导与控制中的六类典型飞行器控制问题的二阶伪线性系统描述。     

Estimation of differential code biases with Jason-2/3 onboard GPS observations

With the continuous deployment of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, the estimation of differential code biases (DCBs) based on GNSS observations from LEO has gained increasing attention. Previous studies on LEO-based DCB estimation are usually using the spherical symmetry ionosphere assumption (SSIA), in which a uniform electron density is assumed in a thick shell. In this study, we propose an approach (named the SHLEO method) to simultaneously estimate the satellite and LEO onboard receiver DCBs by modeling the distribution of the global plasmaspheric total electron content (PTEC) above the satellite orbit with a spherical harmonic (SH) function. Compared to the commonly used SSIA method, the SHLEO model improves the GPS satellite DCB estimation accuracy by 13.46% and the stability by 22.34%, respectively. Compared to the GPS satellite DCBs estimated based on the Jason-3-only observations, the accuracy and monthly stability of the satellite DCBs can be improved by 14.42% and 26.8% when both Jason-2 and Jason-3 onboard observations are jointly processed. Compared with the Jason-2 solutions, the GPS satellite DCB estimates based on the fusion of Jason-2 and Jason-3 observations have an improved consistency of better than 18.26% and 9.71% with the products provided by the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) and Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Taking the DCB products provided by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) as references, there is no improvement in accuracy of the GPS satellite DCB estimates based on the fusion of Jason-2 and Jason-3 observations than the Jason-2 solutions alone. A periodic variation is found in the time series of both the Jason-3 and Jason-2 onboard receiver DCB estimates. Preliminary analysis of the PTEC distribution based on the estimated SH coefficients are also presented.     

基于双星定位系统和星敏感器的低轨卫星自主定轨方法研究

利用双星定位系统的两个测距信息外加星敏感器的测角信息,基于信息融合和信息守恒理论,采用联合推广卡尔曼滤波算法,对低轨卫星进行自主定轨仿真研究。计算结果表明,该方法可以显著提高定轨精度,达到低轨卫星自主定轨的精度要求。     

脉冲测量雷达卫星标定方法研究

对脉冲测量雷达卫星标定方法的原理和工程应用等问题进行了研究,提出了标定模型和方法,分析了雷达跟踪能力和卫星定轨保障等工程应用问题,并对标定效果进行了仿真验证。     

关于探测器定点在共线平动点附近的控制问题

对探测器定点在共线平动点附近的轨道控制提出了一种小推力方案,针对日-地（月）系的具体背景给出了数值模拟结果,并对其进行了相应的分析.     

Characteristics of GOCE orbits based on Satellite Laser Ranging

The Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) was the first European Space Agency’s (ESA) Earth Explorer core mission. Through its extremely low, about 260?km above the Earth, circular, sun-synchronous orbit, the satellite gained high spatial resolution and accuracy gravity gradient, and ocean circulation data. Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, mounted on the spacecraft, allowed the determination of reduced-dynamic and kinematic GOCE orbits, whereas Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA) dedicated to Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) allowed an independent validation of GPS-derived orbits. In this paper, residuals between different GPS-based orbit types and SLR observations are used to investigate the sensitivity and the influence of solar, geomagnetic, and ionospheric activities on the quality of kinematic and reduced-dynamic GOCE orbits. We also analyze the quality of data provided by individual SLR sites, by detecting time biases using ascending and descending sun-synchronous GOCE orbit passes, and the residual analysis of the measurement characteristics, i.e., the dependency of SLR residuals as a function of nadir and horizontal angles. Results show a substantial vulnerability of kinematic orbit solutions to the solar F10.7 index and the ionospheric activity measured by the variations of the Total Electron Content (TEC) values. The sensitivity of kinematic orbits to the three-hour-range KP index is rather minor. The reduced-dynamic orbits are almost insensitive to indices describing ionospheric, solar, and geomagnetic activities. The investigation of individual SLR sites shows that some of them are affected by time bias errors, whereas other demonstrate systematics, such as a dependency between observation residuals and the satellite nadir angle or the horizontal azimuth angle from the SLR station to the direction of the satellite.     

Analysis of laser ranges and angular measurements data fusion for space debris orbit determination

In the framework of space debris, the orbit determination process is a fundamental step, both, for researchers and for satellite operators. The accurate knowledge of the orbit of space debris objects is needed to allow space debris characterization studies and to avoid unnecessary collision avoidance maneuvers.The accuracy of the results of an orbit determination process depends on several factors as the number, the accuracy, the kind of processed measurements, their distribution along the orbit, and the object-observer relative geometry. When the observation coverage of the target orbit is not homogeneous, the accuracy of the orbit determination can be improved processing different kind of observables. Recent studies showed that the satellite laser ranging technique can be successfully applied to space debris.In this paper, we will investigate the benefits of using laser ranges and angular measurements for the orbit determination process. We will analyze the influence of the number of used observations, of the covered arc of orbit, of each observable, and of the observation geometry on the estimated parameters. Finally, using data acquired on short observation arcs, we analyze the achievable accuracies for the orbital regimes with the highest space debris density, and to the consequences of the data fusion on catalog maintenance operations. The results shown are obtained using only real data (both angular and laser measurements) provided by sensors of the Swiss Optical Ground Station and Geodynamics Observatory Zimmerwald owned by the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB) and for some studies also using ranges provided from other stations of the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS).