Application of the Method of Integral Manifolds for Construction of Resonant Curves for the Problem of Spacecraft Entry into the Atmosphere

The separation of motions into slow (precession) and fast (nutation) components in the problem of the entry of a spacecraft (SC) with a small asymmetry into the atmosphere is considered. For the separation of the slow and fast motions the method of integral manifolds is used together with the asymptotic method for singularly perturbed systems. The separation of motions allows one to isolate the frequencies that are functions of the slow variables of a system, and further on, after determining the integer relations between them, to construct the resonant curves (surfaces). This method gives the possibility to analyze the conditions of the emergence of resonances for a SC at angles of attack that are not small and when aerodynamic characteristics are nonlinear. Examples of the construction of resonant curves for a SC with typical aerodynamic characteristics are considered.     

Motion of a descent capsule relative to its center of mass when deploying the orbital tether system

The spatial motion relative to the center of mass is considered for a capsule on an elastic tether, when it is unrolled from a spacecraft by a special program. The spacecraft is in a circular orbit and oriented relative to the local vertical, which is guaranteed by operation of its own stabilization system. Angular motion of the capsule relative to the tether direction is studied, and the main factors influencing the stability of this motion are analyzed. An approximate quasi-linear mathematical model of the capsule attitude motion is obtained, which allows one to estimate the influence of major disturbances of its motion. The results of numerical simulations are presented for characteristic cases of the capsule motion.     

Statistical analysis of attitude motion of a light capsule entering the atmosphere

The laws of distribution of the space angle of attack are analyzed for a light descent capsule on the atmosphere’s conventional boundary and on the segment of motion in dense layers of the atmosphere until the moment of reaching the maximum velocity head. It is assumed that upon detachment from a base spacecraft the angular velocity components of the descent capsule represent independent random quantities distributed according to the normal law. The shape of the descent capsule is close to a body of revolution whose instantaneous aerodynamic characteristic has a sufficiently simple form (one stable and one unstable positions of static equilibrium). It is demonstrated that there is a possibility to approximate the distribution densities by well-known laws and by approximate functions constructed on the basis of simplified models. Evolution of the distribution laws at increasing mass-inertia asymmetry of the descent capsule is studied.     

随机扰动情况下绳系卫星状态保持阶段的最优控制

在考虑系绳弹性的情况下, 建立绳系卫星轨道面内运动的动力学模型, 并在系统平衡位置线性化, 得到绳系子星在随机扰动作用下的稳态保持状态方程. 引入基于卡尔曼滤波的状态估计方法和最优状态反馈控制策略, 提出了保持系统稳态运行的控制方法, 并以YES2空间系绳试验为参考模型设计了稳态保持控制系统. 分别在不考虑系绳弹性和考虑系绳弹性的系统模型下进行相应仿真分析, 结果表明所提出的控制方法能使系统具有良好的抗干扰性能, 系绳控制张力变化平缓且幅值小, 提高了系统状态保持阶段的可靠性和安全性. 同时系绳刚度系数的减小可使系绳纵向振动加剧, 但对横向摆动影响较小, 这为选取合适的系绳材料提供了理论参考.      

A Study of Oscillations near a Resonance during the Descent of a Spacecraft in the Atmosphere

An analysis of the stability of the resonance motion of a spacecraft with a small asymmetry during its descent in the atmosphere is carried out. In the vicinity of the main resonance, the action–angle variables are introduced and an equation of the variation of action is composed. A conclusion related to the stability of the resonance motion is made from the investigation of this equation. Sufficient conditions of stability of the resonance motion of a spacecraft are obtained and represented in a form convenient for analysis.     

Estimation of the Probability of Capture into a Resonance Mode of Motion for a Spacecraft during Its Descent in the Atmosphere

The estimation of the probability of capture into a resonance mode of motion is considered for a spacecraft with a small asymmetry during its entry into the atmosphere. It is assumed that the initial conditions of spacecraft motion are distributed uniformly in some sufficiently small domain. The problem is solved for the equations of spacecraft motion linear with respect to the angle of attack. An analytical estimate of the probability of the spacecraft capture into the resonance corresponding to an ascending branch of the velocity head is obtained. The emphasis in the analysis of the estimate is made on the effect of the spacecraft asymmetry type on the probability of capture. A comparison of the estimate with the results of numerical computation is carried out. A model problem concerning the construction of the domain of the spacecraft center of mass locations, most dangerous from the point of view of the realization of the stable resonant modes of motion, is solved.     

Disturbance ranging in capsule atmosphere descent

A problem of evaluating disturbance significance in the statistic analysis of recovery capsule motion in atmosphere is considered. We present the results of comparing several methods, namely, iteration method of least squares, statistic linearization method and statistic test method (independently for each disturbance). The methods are compared using as an example the calculation of landing point scatter for a spherical recovery capsule that is returned from the orbit by means of a cable system.     

The Dynamics of Arranging a Spacecraft Tether Group as a Triangular Constellation

Cosmic Research - The method of arranging a tether group of four spacecraft as triangular beam constellation is considered in this paper. The group consists of a central spacecraft, from which the...     

Analysis of the dynamics of the deployed aerodynamic space tether system

An analysis of the motion of a deployed space system that consists of two end bodies connected by a tether has been considered. One of the bodies has a relatively large ballistic coefficient that ensures aerodynamic braking or the stabilization of the motion of the entire system in relatively low near-Earth orbits. The deployment of this system mainly occurs due to the action of aerodynamic forces. Several ways of deploying the system have been analyzed, including (1) the uncontrolled release of the tether with hardly any braking; (2) deployment with constant braking force; (3) the dynamic control law without feedback, when the resistance force varies according to a set program; (4) a kinematic control law with feedback when programs are set for varying the velocity and length of the tether release. To analyze the dynamics of the system, a mathematical model of motion has been constructed in which the motion of the end bodies relative to their centers of mass is taken into account.     

Control of the deployment of an orbital tether system that consists of two small spacecraft

Control of an orbital tether system that consists of two small spacecraft has been considered. The proposed control laws are based on the modification of well-known programs for the deployment of tether system systems under the assumption that the masses of spacecraft and the tether are comparable in magnitude. To construct nominal deployment programs, we have developed a mathematical model of the motion of the given system in an orbital moving coordinate system taking into account the specific features of this problem. The performance of the proposed deployment programs is assessed by a mathematical model of the orbital tether system with distributed parameters written in the geocentric coordinate system. The test calculations involve a linear regulator that implements feedback on the tether length and velocity.