Simple method for performance evaluation of multistage rockets

Multistage rockets are commonly employed to place spacecraft and satellites in their operational orbits. Performance evaluation of multistage rockets is aimed at defining the maximum payload mass at orbit injection, for specified structural, propulsive, and aerodynamic data of the launch vehicle. This work proposes a simple method for a fast performance evaluation of multistage rockets. The technique at hand is based on three steps: (i) the flight-path angle at each stage separation is guessed, (ii) the spacecraft velocity is maximized at the first and second stage separation, and (iii) for the last stage the thrust direction is obtained through the particle swarm optimization technique, in conjunction with the use of the Euler–Lagrange equations and the Pontryagin minimum principle. The coast duration at the second stage separation is optimized as well. The method at hand is extremely simple and easy-to-implement, but nevertheless it proves to be capable of yielding near-optimal ascending trajectories for a multistage launch vehicle with realistic structural, propulsive, and aerodynamic characteristics. The solutions found with the technique under consideration can be employed either for a rapid evaluation of the multistage rocket performance or as guesses for more refined optimization algorithms.     

Optimal nodal flyby with near-Earth asteroids using electric sail

The aim of this paper is to quantify the performance of an Electric Solar Wind Sail for accomplishing flyby missions toward one of the two orbital nodes of a near-Earth asteroid. Assuming a simplified, two-dimensional mission scenario, a preliminary mission analysis has been conducted involving the whole known population of those asteroids at the beginning of the 2013 year. The analysis of each mission scenario has been performed within an optimal framework, by calculating the minimum-time trajectory required to reach each orbital node of the target asteroid. A considerable amount of simulation data have been collected, using the spacecraft characteristic acceleration as a parameter to quantify the Electric Solar Wind Sail propulsive performance. The minimum time trajectory exhibits a different structure, which may or may not include a solar wind assist maneuver, depending both on the Sun-node distance and the value of the spacecraft characteristic acceleration. Simulations show that over 60% of near-Earth asteroids can be reached with a total mission time less than 100 days, whereas the entire population can be reached in less than 10 months with a spacecraft characteristic acceleration of 1 mm/s².     

Atmosphere sounding by GPS radio occultation: First results from TanDEM-X and comparison with TerraSAR-X

On 21 June 2010 the TerraSAR-X satellite was joined by the TanDEM-X satellite. A Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) experiment using the twin satellites has been carried out to estimate the precision of GPS atmospheric soundings. For the Day Of Year (DOY) 330–336, 2011, we analyze phase and amplitude data recorded by GPS receivers separated by a few hundred meters in a low earth orbit and derive collocated atmospheric refractivity profiles. In the altitude range 10–20 km the standard deviation between TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X refractivity does not exceed 0.15%. The standard deviation is rapidly increasing for lower and higher altitudes; close to the surface and at an altitude of 30 km the standard deviation reaches 0.8% and 0.5%, respectively. Systematic deviations between TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X refractivity in the considered altitude range (0–30 km) are negligible. The results confirm the anticipated high precision of the GPS RO technique. However, the difference in the retrieved refractivity in the lower troposphere for different Open Loop (OL) signal tracking parameters, altered onboard TanDEM-X for DOY 49–55, 2012, calls for an in depth analysis. At the moment we can not exclude that a potential bias in the OL Doppler model introduces a bias in our retrieved refractivity at altitudes <8$<8$ km.     

基于伪相关函数的BOC无模糊跟踪性能分析

BOC(Binary-Offset-Carrier)调制广泛应用于全球导航卫星系统中,但由于BOC自相关函数的多峰导致传统码跟踪环路存在模糊性。伪相关函数(Pseudo Correlation Function, PCF)方法在本地采用两个特殊的参考信号和非线性处理以获得无模糊的相关函数。根据一种PCF方法本地参考波形设计的充分条件,推导了其无模糊函数的数学形式,并着重分析了其跟踪和抗多径性能与本地参考波形的关系。仿真结果表明：该PCF方法解决了跟踪模糊问题,且随着参考信号的宽度因子增加,其跟踪精度逐步改善;该PCF方法对于中长延迟多径干扰抑制能力较好,宽度因子为0.5或1时,其多径误差最小。     

基于无奇异变换的卫星广播星历拟合算法

针对导航卫星轨道偏心率近似为0,致使卫星轨道的近地点角距定义模糊,在数据拟合过程中会导致法矩阵（H^TH）奇异的问题,本文提出基于无奇异变换的广播星历参数拟合算法,引入无奇异轨道根数代替经典开普勒根数,推导了空间目标位置矢量对基于无奇异轨道根数的广播星历参数偏导数矩阵,利用变换后的观测方程迭代拟合得到改进广播星历参数,再将结果归一化到基于开普勒根数的广播星历参数。最后利用仿真算例验证了所推公式和算法的合理性。     

GPS在气象火箭遥测跟踪上的应用

利用GPS全球定位系统、天线云台和宽波瓣天线组成的跟踪系统, 研究了接收位置信息与跟踪之间的时间差, 气象火箭理论弹道误差导致的中断跟踪,气象火箭探空仪分离后至初次定位前的跟踪, 天线云台转到359°位置后反转359°及跟踪过程中跟踪中断后的继续跟踪等关键问题,成功实现了气象火箭探空仪的遥测跟踪. 该跟踪系统在子午工程气象火箭试验中得到较好的应用, 此种跟踪方式相比传统雷达跟踪方式具有体积小、重量轻、操作简单、成本低、机动性强、跟踪可靠性强等诸多优点.      

一种新型火星定点着陆轨迹快速优化方法

针对火星定点着陆任务大气进入段的轨迹规划问题,给出了一种基于hp Radau伪谱法的快速优化算法。综合考虑大气进入段的动力学约束、边值约束、以及着陆器的机动能力约束和安全性约束,结合hp Radau伪谱法的配点特性,将轨迹优化问题转换成一个大规模多约束参数优化问题,给出了大气进入段轨迹优化问题的求解框架;为了提高算法的计算效率,给出了参数优化过程中雅克比矩阵的解析表达式;并通过数学仿真对本文算法进行了数值验证,结果表明：     

基于闭环解析解的可重复使用运载器轨迹在线生成方法

The relationships between path constraints such as heating rate, dynamic pressure and aerodynamic load and velocity during entry flight are analyzed in  r-V  plane for an entry vehicle with mediate high lift to drag ratio. Through derivation and integration, a unified formula for path constraints is obtained in  r-V  plane. Based on the unified formula and several characteristics an analytical solution is obtained,and an online trajectory generation method is developed. In the method, the coupled longitudinal and lateral motion is considered, and can make the best use of flight capability and satisfy path constraints. Trajectory generation cases with different flight mission and downranges are tested. Simulation results demonstrate the capability and efficiency of the trajectory planning method in dealing with path constraints.     

单音干扰下扩频测控信号伪码跟踪性能研究

扩频测控信号的伪码跟踪性能直接关系到测控系统的测距精度。以伪码跟踪环中鉴相曲线平衡点的过零偏移为研究对象,推导了音频干扰条件下扩频测控信号伪码跟踪的干扰最大误差;并针对干扰最大误差需考虑具体鉴相算法的特点,提出基于相关曲线主瓣的二阶中心矩扩展因子的性能评价方法。该方法利用伪码相关曲线主瓣在干扰前后的畸变情况,反映干扰对伪码跟踪性能的影响。仿真分析表明,干扰最大误差的理论及仿真结果和二阶中心矩扩展因子所得结论一致,从而验证了干扰最大误差理论的正确性以及所提性能指标的有效性。     

Track-before-detect for Infrared Maneuvering Dim Multi-target via MM-PHD

In this paper, we present a novel and efficient track-before-detect (TBD) algorithm based on multiple-model probability hypothesis density (MM-PHD) for tracking infrared maneuvering dim multi-target. Firstly, the standard sequential Monte Carlo probability hypothesis density (SMC-PHD) TBD-based algorithm is introduced and sequentially improved by the adaptive process noise and the importance re-sampling on particle likelihood, which result in the improvement in the algorithm robustness and convergence speed. Secondly, backward recursion of SMC-PHD is derived in order to ameliorate the tracking performance especially at the time of the multi-target arising. Finally, SMC-PHD is extended with multiple-model to track maneuvering dim multi-target. Extensive experiments have proved the efficiency of the presented algorithm in tracking infrared maneuvering dim multi-target, which produces better performance in track detection and tracking than other TBD-based algorithms including SMC-PHD, multiple-model particle filter (MM-PF), histogram probability multi-hypothesis tracking (H-PMHT) and Viterbi-like.