Simulation-based evaluation of a cold atom interferometry gradiometer concept for gravity field recovery

The prospects of future satellite gravimetry missions to sustain a continuous and improved observation of the gravitational field have stimulated studies of new concepts of space inertial sensors with potentially improved precision and stability. This is in particular the case for cold-atom interferometry (CAI) gradiometry which is the object of this paper. The performance of a specific CAI gradiometer design is studied here in terms of quality of the recovered gravity field through a closed-loop numerical simulation of the measurement and processing workflow. First we show that mapping the time-variable field on a monthly basis would require a noise level below $5\text{mE}/\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$. The mission scenarios are therefore focused on the static field, like GOCE. Second, the stringent requirement on the angular velocity of a one-arm gradiometer, which must not exceed ${10}^{-6}$?rad/s, leads to two possible modes of operation of the CAI gradiometer: the nadir and the quasi-inertial mode. In the nadir mode, which corresponds to the usual Earth-pointing satellite attitude, only the gradient $V_{\mathit{yy}}$, along the cross-track direction, is measured. In the quasi-inertial mode, the satellite attitude is approximately constant in the inertial reference frame and the 3 diagonal gradients $V_{\mathit{xx}}\text{,}{V}_{\mathit{yy}}$ and $V_{\mathit{zz}}$ are measured. Both modes are successively simulated for a 239?km altitude orbit and the error on the recovered gravity models eventually compared to GOCE solutions. We conclude that for the specific CAI gradiometer design assumed in this paper, only the quasi-inertial mode scenario would be able to significantly outperform GOCE results at the cost of technically challenging requirements on the orbit and attitude control.     

An estimation of Envisat’s rotational state accounting for the precession of its rotational axis caused by gravity-gradient torque

The rotational state of Envisat is re-estimated using the specular glint times in optical observation data obtained from 2013 to 2015. The model is simplified to a uniaxial symmetric model with the first order variation of its angular momentum subject to a gravity-gradient torque causing precession around the normal of the orbital plane. The sense of Envisat’s rotation can be derived from observational data, and is found to be opposite to the sense of its orbital motion. The rotational period is estimated to be $(120.674\pm 0.068)·\exp \left((4.5095\pm 0.0096)\times {10}^{-4}·t\right)\text{s}$, where t is measured in days from the beginning of 2013. The standard deviation is 0.760?s, making this the best fit obtained for Envisat in the literature to date. The results demonstrate that the angle between the angular momentum vector and the negative normal of the orbital plane librates around a mean value of $8.53°\pm 0.42°$ with an amplitude from about $0.7°$ (in 2013) to $0.5°$ (in 2015), with the libration period equal to the precession period of the angular momentum, from about 4.8?days (in 2013) to 3.4?days (in 2015). The ratio of the minimum to maximum principal moments of inertia is estimated to be $0.0818\pm 0.0011$, and the initial longitude of the angular momentum in the orbital coordinate system is $40.5°\pm 9.3°$. The direction of the rotation axis derived from our results at September 23, 2013, UTC 20:57 is similar to the results obtained from satellite laser ranging data but about $20°$ closer to the negative normal of the orbital plane.     

Libration and end body swing stabilization of a parallel partial space elevator system

This paper studies the libration and stabilization of a parallel partial space elevator system in circular orbits. The system is made up of two paralleled partial space elevators, each of which consists of one main satellite, one end body and a climber moving along the tether between them. The libration characteristics of the elevator are studied through numerical analysis by a new dynamic model, and a novel control strategy is proposed to stabilize the swing of the end body by projecting the climber speeds only. Optimal control method is used to implement the new control strategy in the case where the climbers move in opposite direction. The simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy whose application will neither sacrifice the transport efficiency nor exacerbate libration significantly.     

MIMO空间通信格约简TH预编码分析与改进

为了评价现有MIMO空间通信预编码方案并改进, 分析与仿真了基于迫零和最小均方误差准则的联合LLL格约简非线性TH预编码算法. 在TH预编码基础上, 通过改善信道矩阵奇异性, 提出了改进的格约简TH预编码方法. 仿真表明, 采用最小均方准则的预编码MIMO系统性能优于采用迫零准则的系统; 所提格约简TH预编码算法相对现有的TH编码算法, 在采用LLL格约简而使复杂度下降时, 仍可获得相对较好的误码性能, 适合多天线MIMO空间传输预编码等 应用.      

空间绳系机器人抓捕非合作目标的质量特性参数辨识

针对空间绳系机器人抓捕非合作目标/空间垃圾后需要对其进行回收/拖曳的精确控制问题,提出了一种利用抓捕后保持阶段的振动特性辨识目标参数的方法。首先,根据质量特性参数辨识的需要,推导了系统的动力学模型。不同于以往将本体卫星和被抓捕目标简化为质点的动力学模型,本文针对任意的目标抓捕位置,在考虑重力梯度影响的基础上,利用拉格朗日法获得系统各广义坐标的动力学公式。然后,分析非合作目标和系绳在后抓捕保持阶段的姿态运动。最后,在非合作目标与本体卫星没有任何信息交互的情况下,利用后抓捕阶段目标卫星和系绳特有的振动,并使用具有鲁棒性可遗忘因子的递推最小二乘法,提出了包括转动惯量和质心到任意抓捕点距离在内的质量特性参数辨识算法。     

某空间伸杆机构的摩擦补偿及反步自适应控制

面向某新型大伸展(收拢比)、高载荷(自重比)伸缩式空间伸杆机构的实际应用需求,研究其低速伸展过程中摩擦力矩补偿及其反步自适应控制方法。考虑伸杆伸长量等各种因素引起的摩擦力矩变化,将其等效描述为摩擦变化系数的影响,由此得到LuGre改进模型的摩擦表征。在此基础上,设计基于摩擦力矩补偿的反步自适应控制器,以补偿和抑制模型不确定性和摩擦影响。最后通过仿真校验表明,该方法不依赖精确的动力学模型,能够在保证鲁棒性的前提下有效提高系统控制性能。     

空间绳系机器人单目视觉伺服控制系统

为解决空间绳系机器人近距离交会对接中的目标测量问题,设计了一种单目视觉伺服控制系统。该系统针对小模板在大场景中匹配时存在鲁棒性差、耗时长等缺点,采用了一种新的模板匹配算法。匹配模板借鉴FAST算法的空心圆环结构,使得算法具有旋转不变性,也减小了因背景变化引起的累积误差。同时匹配准则采用灰度值+梯度值的复合算子,具有较强的抗噪声和抑制光照变化的能力。为避免因错误匹配和遮挡等引起的跟踪失败,还设计了动态模板更新策略;最后结合最小二乘综合位置预测方法和PD控制器,实现了对复杂场景中的非合作目标的实时跟踪逼近。     

偏置式冗余空间机械臂逆运动学求解的参数化方法

针对肩、肘、腕均有偏置的空间站遥操作机械臂（SSRMS）型7DOF冗余机械臂,提出了逆运动学求解的关节角参数化及臂型角参数化两种方法。前者根据机械臂的臂型特征,推导以θ1、θ2、θ6、θ7中的一个作为给定参数时其他关节角的表达式,得出8种可能解;后者首先构造与SSRMS型机械臂相对应的零偏置球关节-旋转关节-球关节（SRS）机械臂,然后以臂型角为参数求解SRS机械臂的逆运动学,再根据SSRMS与SRS机械臂的关系,得到SSRMS的8组逆解。仿真算例校验了所提方法的有效性。     

大型索网式可展开天线在轨高精度指向控制

以星载大型索网式可展开天线为对象,研究在轨工作过程中天线视轴高精度高稳定度指向控制方法。首先,基于Craig-Bampton法建立表征天线指向的动力学模型;然后针对天线振动对视轴指向的影响,设计PD反馈+陷波滤波器的控制算法;进一步分析影响指向精度的因素,设计带有调节滤波器的改进控制器以减小天线视轴指向的周期性误差,提高指向精度与稳定度。最后,给出数值仿真校验的结果并与现有的方法进行比较。结果表明,所提出的控制算法在保证天线指向稳定的同时,可以有效减小天线视轴的指向偏差,并对干扰与振动具有良好的鲁棒性。     

抗光轴扰动的双目视觉测量方法

针对交会对接过程中双目测量相机受空间环境影响其光轴指向发生扰动的问题,提出一种抗光轴扰动的双目视觉测量方法。通过辅助光路将固定于卫星本体的参考标志分别成像于两侧像面的边缘,根据其图像变化估计光轴扰动变换矩阵,补偿因光轴扰动而产生的像面变化,从而实现抗扰动测量。理论推导表明：只要参考标志位于两侧相机视场内,便能够校正相机光轴扰动。利用地面试验平台进行了光轴扰动校正的仿真试验,试验结果表明：当两侧相机光轴存在扰动时,该方法能够有效校正光轴扰动,极大地提高了三维位置的测量精度。