利用VLBI技术进行深空航天器跟踪的仿真分析

差分VLBI(D-VLBI)技术常用于测量航天器相对于参考射电源的角位置,用其跟踪深空航天器可取得足够高的精度。针对深空探测任务中D-VLBI技术的特性,提供了观测时间间隔的设置参考,通过仿真分析,研究了航天器和参考射电源之间的角距离、传播路径上的介质差异等因素及其对观测精度的影响,为后续深空航天器飞行任务的设计提供技术支持。     

DOR测量自适应模型重构算法与实验验证

针对"金星快车"(Venus Express,VEX)探测器大时延、快变化的轨迹特点,提出了一种基于侧音信号相频特性的自适应模型重构算法。该方法极大增强了参考模型精度恶化情况下算法的适应性与稳定性。基于"金星快车"DOR观测实验的数据分析,通过与欧洲航天局提供的事后高精度星历轨道对比,结果表明数据处理算法时延精度优于ns量级,时延率精度优于1ps/s量级。     

深空探测器被动式高精度多普勒测量方法与应用

针对深空探测器的单程多普勒测量需求,研究了被动式高精度多普勒测量方法及其实现技术。该方法基于探测器测控信标残留载波等点频信号和VLBI测站高精度氢原子钟频标,构造出与实际接收信号频率接近的参考信号;再通过本地相关处理,完成高精度开环多普勒测量。其特色在于完全不需要精确的先验轨道模型。所开发的专用被动式多普勒测量设备,在国内第一次成功用于欧空局环火星探测器“MEX”的多普勒测定轨试验。探测器X频段信号5s积分的单程多普勒测量精度达到 0.2mm/s ,与欧空局测量水平相当。采用该多普勒测量数据的MEX定轨结果与欧空局精密轨道在数百米至千米量级一致。     

高精度VLBI技术在深空探测中的应用

介绍了适合单探测器测定轨的高精度VLBI技术和适合多探测器测定位的同波束VLBI技术的研究进展。利用"嫦娥3号"着陆器的ΔDOR型VLBI观测,得到了误差0.67ns的VLBI群时延数据。利用"嫦娥3号"着陆器和月球车的同波束VLBI观测,得到了随机误差0.3ps的差分相时延数据,以数厘米的灵敏度监测出月球车的移动、转弯等动作,并把月球车的相对定位精度提高至1m。针对深空探测,提出了使VLBI时延测量精度进一步提高所需要开展的部分研究内容。     

面向绕月交会对接的同波束VLBI研究

针对"嫦娥5号"(CE-5)探测器间高精度相对测量需求,设计了我国深空干涉测量处理中心框架下的同波束VLBI处理算法,分析了X波段同波束VLBI相位解模糊条件和结果;通过引入群时延辅助的相位干涉技术,大幅抑制了干涉时延随机误差,为同波束VLBI中相位解模糊提供了先验条件;利用CE-5对接实测数据验证了本文工作的有效性,为CE-5任务同波束VLBI的实施奠定了基础。     

嫦娥一号卫星撞月时刻与坐标精确分析

针对CE-1卫星精确的撞月时刻与撞月点坐标,首先通过探测器载波信号的本地相关处理技术,精确分析了载波信号在VLBI各测站的消失时刻,进而推算了卫星的撞月时刻;通过实时单向多普勒频移测量的事后分析,核实了卫星撞月过程中的飞行姿态演化;最后结合VLBI互相关时延与测距资料,经定位归算确定撞月点坐标。分析表明,CE-1卫星撞月时刻的误差为±5μs,撞月点坐标月面切向和三维定位误差分别约为0.274km和0.319km(1σ)。     

The effect of neglecting VLBI reference station clock offsets on UT1 estimates

Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) allows to monitor universal time (UT1) by conducting regular international experiments. Such dedicated observation networks are equipped with different hardware components, which require different processing strategies when the data are correlated. As the timing units at each stations are usually offset with respect to universal time (UTC) this effect should be considered during correlation processing. Thus, it is investigated how neglecting of these offsets theoretically impacts the estimation of UT1. Three different strategies for the proper handling of the timing offset will be discussed and their advantages/drawbacks will be pointed out. Moreover, it is studied how neglecting of these timing offsets affects UT1 time-series and how such a missing correction can be applied a posteriori. Although the discussed effect is for most of the UT1 experiments smaller than the formal error of the estimates, it is important to consider station clock offsets properly in next-generation VLBI systems, which are expected to improve accuracy of results by about one order of magnitude.     

A priori zenith wet delays in the analysis of VLBI CONT sessions

Tropospheric delay is one of the major sources of error in VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) analysis. The principal component of this error can be accurately computed through reliable surface pressure data —hydrostatic delay— yet there is also a small but volatile component —wet delay— which is difficult to be modelled a priori. In VLBI analysis, troposphere delay is typically modelled in the theoretical delays using Zenith Hydrostatic Delays (ZHD) and a dry mapping function. Zenith Wet Delay (ZWD) is not modelled but estimated in the analysis process. This work studies inter alia the impact of including external GNSS estimates to model a priori ZWD in VLBI analysis, as well as other models of a priori ZWD.In a first stage, two different sources of GNSS troposphere products are compared to VLBI troposphere estimates in a period of 5 years. The solution with the best agreement to VLBI results is injected in the VLBI analysis as a priori ZWD value and is compared to other options to model a priori ZWD. The dataset used for this empirical analysis consists of the six CONT campaigns.It has been found that modelling a priori ZWD has no significant impact either on baseline length and coordinates repeatabilities. Nevertheless, modelling a priori ZWD can change the magnitude of the estimated coordinates a few millimeters in the up component with respect to the non-modelling approach. In addition, the influence of a priori ZWD on Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP) and troposphere estimates —Zenith Total Delays (ZTD) and gradients—has also been analysed, resulting in a small but significant impact on both geodetic products.     

Fringe fitting and group delay determination for geodetic VLBI observations of DOR tones

Extracting the group and phase delays of interferometric observations produced in the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) measurement concept requires a special fringe fitting and delay search algorithm for the recorded bandwidth. While fringe fitting is in use routinely for several megahertz wide channels in geodetic and astrometric VLBI with quasar observations, fringe fitting for artificial tones of very small bandwidth of artificial signals for Differential One-way Ranging (DOR) requires a different way of handling. In a project called Observing the Chang’E-3 Lander with VLBI (OCEL), the DOR tones emitted by the Chang’E-3 lander were observed in a standard geodetic VLBI mode with 8 or 4?MHz wide channels to maintain compatibility with the corresponding quasar observations. For these observations, we modified the existing fringe fitting program of the Haystack Observatory Processing Software (HOPS), fourfit, to properly handle narrow band DOR tones. The main motivations are that through this modification, the data of quasars and artificial radio sources can be processed in the existing geodetic analysis pipeline, and that the algorithm can be used for similar projects as well. In this paper, we describe the algorithm and show that the new algorithm produces much more reliable group delay results than using the standard fourfit algorithm. This is done by a simulation test and in particular by processing of real observations. It is shown that in many cases, systematic deviations of several nanoseconds, which are seen with the standard fourfit algorithm, can be avoided. The ultimate benefit of the new procedure is demonstrated by reducing the errors in delay triangle closures by at least a factor of 3, which, in the OCEL case, is from ～300 to ～100?ps.     

深空导航相位参考干涉测量技术研究

针对深空导航不断提高的测角精度需求和传统无线电干涉测量技术所面临的局限,介绍了相位参考干涉技术用于深空导航的优势,重点分析了该技术的基本原理和两个关键观测参数的影响,综述了该技术在国外的研究进展情况,最后介绍了我国开展该技术研究的软硬件基础和利用嫦娥三号任务数据开展的相位参考干涉测量试验情况,试验结果表明了基于我国深空测控资源开展该技术研究的可行性和高精度,有助于推动该技术转向实际工程应用,提高我国深空导航无线电干涉测量水平。