Autonomous satellite constellation orbit determination using the star sensor and inter-satellite links data

A method of autonomous orbit determination for a satellite constellation using a star sensor combined with inter satellite links(ISLs) is studied.Two types of simulated observation data,Three-Satellite Constellation ISLs and background stellar observations by a CCD star sensor,are first produced.Based on these data,an observation equation is built for the constellation joint autonomous orbit determination,in which the simulations are run.The accuracy of this method with different orbital determination model...     

A new method for determination of satellite orbits by transfer

The original idea of a new method for determination of satellite orbits by transfer is from Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer (TWSTFT). The original method is called “determination of satellite orbit by transfer”. The method is not only for determination of satellite orbit but also for the time transfer with high accuracy and precision. The advantage is that the accuracy and the precision for determination of satellite orbit are very high and the new method is favorable for various applications. The combination of various signals disseminated and received forms various modes of satellite orbit determinations. If receivers at stations receive the own station-disseminated signals via a satellite transponder, it forms an orbit determination mode called “receiving the own station-disseminated signals mode”. If receivers at all stations receive the signals disseminated from the master station via satellite transponders, it forms an orbit determination mode called “receiving the master station-disseminated signals mode”. If all of receivers at stations receive all stations-disseminated signals via satellite transponders, it forms an orbit determination mode called “receiving all stations-disseminated signals mode”. Also there are other combinations of signals for satellite orbit determination. For different orbit determination modes with different signal combinations, their rigorous formulae of processing are hereby presented in this paper. The accurate and the precise satellite orbit determination for both of the modes, “receiving the own station-disseminated signals mode” and “receiving the master station-disseminated signals mode” is attempted. It shows that the accuracy and precision for both of modes are nearly the same, the ranging accuracy is better than 1 cm, and the observation residuals of satellite orbit determination are better than 9 cm in the observation duration of 1 day. Supported by the National Basic Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB815503100453001)     

Methods of rapid orbit forecasting after maneuvers for geostationary satellites

A geostationary (GEO) satellite may serve as a navigation satellite, but there is a problem that maneuvers frequently occur and the forces are difficult to model. Based on the technique of determining satellite orbits by transfer, a predicted orbit with high accuracy may be achieved by the method of statistical orbit determination in case of no maneuver force. The predicted orbit will soon be invalid after the maneuver starts, and it takes a long time to get a valid orbit after the maneuver ends. In order to improve ephemeris usability, the method of rapid orbit forecasting after maneuvers is studied. First, GEO satellite movement is analyzed in case of maneuvers based on the observation from the orbit measurement system by transfer. Then when a GEO satellite is in the free status just after maneuvers, the short arc observation is used to forecast the orbit. It is assumed that the common system bias and biases of each station are constant, which can be obtained from orbit determination with long arc observations. In this way, only 6 orbit elements would be solved by the method of statistical orbit determination, and the ephemeris with high accuracy may be soon obtained. Actual orbit forecasting with short arc observation for SINOSAT-1 satellite shows that, with the tracking network available, the precision of the predicted orbit (RMS of O-C) can reach about 5 m with 15 min arc observation, and about 3 m with 30 min arc observation. Supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2006AA12Z322), the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB815503), and the West Light Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. 2007LH01)     

Optimization method for star tracker orientation in the sun-pointing mode

The star tracker, an optical attitude sensor with high accuracy, is widely used in satellites for attitude determination and control. However, it is susceptible to the sunlight and the earthlight for application on satellites in the sun-synchronous orbit. Therefore, the suppression of the sunlight and the earthlight is important for the star tracker. In this Letter, a vector model is proposed to describe the relationship among the Sun, the Earth, and the satellite body, and, based on the equations of the boundary curves, the vector areas free from the sunlight and the earthlight in the body coordinate system of the satellite are derived. Meanwhile, the installation orientation of the star tracker and the corresponding exclusion angle of the earthlight are optimized. The simulation results indicate that the optimization method for the installation orientation and the exclusion angle of the star tracker is accurate and effective.     

带噪声模拟仿真星图的实现

本文对星敏感器的姿态参数进行仿真计算,实现了观测星的提取及星图模拟。根据二维高斯分布模型对星点进行灰度弥散;考虑了噪声等因素的影响,实时模拟星敏感器在轨状态下拍摄星空的真实星图。实验证明,通过仿真模拟在轨运行卫星所拍摄的星图,可以为星敏感器星点提取、星图识别、姿态解算等功能算法提供验证。     

一种适用于近地卫星天文导航的地心距和地心矢量解算方法

卫星自主导航技术具有重要的军事价值。提出了一种基于焦平面的红外静态地球敏感器和可见光星敏感器的天文自主导航系统。详细论述了天文导航的原理,推导了地心矢量和地心距的解算公式,分析了影响地心矢量和地心距解算精度的因素,并给出了数值仿真的结果。结果表明该系统具有体积小、重量轻、功耗小、成本低和无转动部件等优点,适用于各种轨道航天器的姿态确定与轨道确定。     

Optical testing of star sensor (II): Alignment of star sensor from off-line pictures taken in orbital test

Alignment error of an image sensor relative to the optical axis of a star sensor head and alignment errors between four heads were calculated from pictures taken in an orbital experiment. When comparing the image sensor alignment parameters in the orbital test and a ground test, both values matched well. By determining the relative relationship of the four heads using four pictures taken at the same moment in orbit and uploading the parameters to the star sensor system in orbit, the estimated attitude error was improved from 0.29 to 0.17°, though the accuracy was limited by the ±0.2° determination accuracy of the satellite itself. We estimated the attitude determination accuracy from separation angles between boresights of the four heads, calculated from pattern matching between downloaded pictures and a star catalogue. The estimated accuracy, in terms of potential optical performance, was 0.60 arcmin at 3σ, which is sufficient to satisfy the specification of 1 arcmin.     

组合大视场星敏感器自主定轨中的星光折射

就组合大视场星敏感器卫星自主定轨方法中的恒星观测,在球形大气假设下,直接由大气折射率、光在大气中的折射路径和斯涅耳定律出发,建立星光大气折射模型。在60 km高度以上星光穿过时不产生大气折射的假设下,得到星光在60 km高度的大气层上的仰角θ60、星光折射角γ和星光切线高度h的关系,且当星光穿过20~60 km的高度大气范围时,θ60的范围约在0°~7°之间。最后应用该大气折射模型进行了轨道确定仿真,说明折射模型的有效性。     

实时比对法用于卫星星等测量及其精度评估

星等是卫星重要的光学特征之一,为实时、精确得到卫星的星等,在对卫星的探测中,探测系统首先跟踪测量目标卫星,然后对卫星飞过的附近天区的已知恒星进行测量,将CCD输出的卫星与已知恒星的灰度值进行比对得到卫星的星等,并利用同样的方法将两颗已知恒星的灰度值进行对比对该方法用于卫星星等测量精度进行了评估。实验结果表明,实时比对法用于卫星星等测量的精度为0.27星等,是一种有效的卫星星等测量方法。     

PN1B微小卫星激光反射器设计及激光测距试验

大气密度探测实验卫星PN1B于2015年9月在太原卫星发射中心成功发射,为了实现对该卫星星载GPS定轨数据提供检核标准及高精度测轨应用要求,依据卫星无法提供阵列结构激光反射器所需要的安装面积的限制,首次采用通光口径为10 mm的微小激光反射器按照不同的指向分布在卫星的棱边。利用TROS1000流动人卫激光测距系统对该卫星进行追踪和激光测距试验,测量结果表明激光回波数据充足,每秒平均激光回波光子数达173个,标志着此类微小激光反射器的应用将会在卫星轨道精密定轨方面发挥重要作用。     

电磁监测试验卫星阻滞势分析器探测技术

依据电磁监测试验卫星的任务要求,自主研发了等离子体分析仪,首次实现电离层等离子体原位探测.作为等离子体分析仪的重要组成部分,阻滞势分析器主要用于探测电离层等离子体的密度、沿轨道方向漂移速度、温度以及成分等参数.阻滞势分析器传感器栅网材料选用铍铜,表面镀金处理,并通过仿真验证了多层栅网总透过率与理论计算的一致性.依据技术指标,详细设计了阻滞势分析器传感器的窗口半径、收集极半径、有效高度及扫描电压等参数.在电子学电路设计时通过前放电路三个可调量程的设计,保证了电路测量精度.在此基础上,借助意大利国家天体物理研究院行星际物理研究所的地面等离子体环境,完成了阻滞势分析器的等离子体环境测试.测试结果表明,该阻滞势分析器的性能指标满足设计要求,能够实现电磁监测试验卫星的任务需求.     

一种基于自适应滤波的高动态星敏感器在轨校正方法

为了提高高动态环境下星敏感器的质心提取精度,提出了一种基于自适应滤波的在轨校正方法.该方法能够适应角速度变化的星敏感器,自适应的调整校正矩阵.使用提出的基于时空相关性的噪声估计滤波器跟随星点窗口实时更新校正矩阵,对星点准确校正.与传统地面校正方法相比,本文方法不仅减少了成本,且实时更新校正矩阵,校正更加可靠.通过实验验...     

低轨道量子卫星通信星上交换算法及仿真

量子卫星通信能够解决量子移动通信在航海、航空领域中对于远距离和大范围的需求,而星上交换是量子卫星通信的关键技术之一.本文以低轨道量子卫星通信星上交换为研究对象,提出了一种新的星上交换算法——终端测距法.利用该算法测得终端到相邻小区中心的距离,并将测得的数据上传给当前服务卫星系统,再由卫星系统通过比较距离大小决定终端是否切换.数学分析和仿真结果表明,该算法可靠性高、操作方便,能够在各卫星之间实现平稳切换.     

人造地球卫星运动方程的代数动力学算法数值解

代数动力学算法首次被用于求人造地球卫星运动方程的数值解，在四阶算法下，与Runge-Kutta算法和辛算法的计算结果作了比较.结果表明，代数动力学算法对于人造地球卫星长期轨道的计算有较高的精度.并讨论了地球四极和八极带谐项对卫星轨道的影响. 关键词： 人造地球卫星运动方程 代数动力学算法数值解 地球四极和八极带谐项对卫星轨道的影响     

低轨道量子卫星通信星上交换算法及仿真

量子卫星通信能够解决量子移动通信在航海、航空领域中对于远距离和大范围的需求,而星上交换是量子卫星通信的关键技术之一.本文以低轨道量子卫星通信星上交换为研究对象,提出了一种新的星上交换算法—终端测距法.利用该算法测得终端到相邻小区中心的距离,并将测得的数据上传给当前服务卫星系统,再由卫星系统通过比较距离大小决定终端是否切换.数学分析和仿真结果表明,该算法可靠性高、操作方便,能够在各卫星之间实现平稳切换.     

The principle of the positioning system based on communication satellites

It is a long dream to realize the communication and navigation functionality in a satellite system in the world. This paper introduces how to establish the system, a positioning system based on communication satellites called Chinese Area Positioning System (CAPS). Instead of the typical navigation satellites, the communication satellites are configured firstly to transfer navigation signals from ground stations, and can be used to obtain service of the positioning, velocity and time, and to achieve the function of navigation and positioning. Some key technique issues should be first solved; they include the accuracy position determination and orbit prediction of the communication satellites, the measuring and calculation of transfer time of the signals, the carrier frequency drift in communication satellite signal transfer, how to improve the geometrical configuration of the constellation in the system, and the integration of navigation & communication. Several innovative methods are developed to make the new system have full functions of navigation and communication. Based on the development of crucial techniques and methods, the CAPS demonstration system has been designed and developed. Four communication satellites in the geosynchronous orbit (GEO) located at 87.5°E, 110.5°E, 134°E, 142°E and barometric altimetry are used in the CAPS system. The GEO satellites located at 134°E and 142°E are decommissioned GEO (DGEO) satellites. C-band is used as the navigation band. Dual frequency at C1=4143.15 MHz and C2=3826.02 MHz as well as dual codes with standard code (CA code and precision code (P code)) are adopted. The ground segment consists of five ground stations; the master station is in Lintong, Xi’an. The ground stations take a lot of responsibilities, including monitor and management of the operation of all system components, determination of the satellite position and prediction of the satellite orbit, accomplishment of the virtual atomic clock measurement, transmission and receiving navigation signals to and from each satellite. In the north, the south, the east, the west and the center of Chinese main land, the function of CAPS demonstration system is checked and measured. In cars and on board the system is also checked and measured. The results are as follow: CA-code, horizontal positioning accuracy, 15–25 m (1 σ), vertical, 1–3 m; P-code, horizontal positioning accuracy, 8–10 m (1 σ), vertical, 1–3 m; velocity accuracy, CA-code, 0.13–0.30 m/s, P-code, 0.15–0.17 m/s; time accuracy, CA-code, 160 ns, P-code, 13 ns; determination accuracy of orbit ≤2 m. About 20 million US $ and two years are spent for the development of demonstration. A complete CAPS system is now being established. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 10453001), the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB815500), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2004AA105030), and the Funds of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for Key Topics in Innovation Engineering (Grant No. KGCXI-21)     

在轨卫星星等建模与计算

星等的大小代表了星体对于人眼的可观测程度。卫星星等的理论计算对于观测跟踪卫星光学系统设计等具有重要的指导意义。结合天文学、轨道动力学、辐射度学、光度学和计算数学理论,建立了计算人造卫星星等的物理数学模型。计算了卫星的可见光反射能量随轨道运行的瞬时特征,结合人眼的视觉特性,推导出了轨道卫星星等的计算方法,并进一步针对卫星表面为灰体的情况给出了一种计算卫星星等的方法及星下点卫星星等的周期性计算曲线,结果表明:星下点观测的卫星星等随卫星在轨道上位置的变化非常显著,对同一卫星,不同星下点观测到的星等差异仅在日照区就可达5个等级之多。     

基于多视场星敏感器的姿态确定方法

星敏感器是目前航天器姿态测量精度最高的器件,与传统的单视场星敏感器相比,多视场星敏感器可以实现三轴同样高精度的姿态测量,提高姿态测量精度。针对单视场星敏感器姿态确定问题,推导了以最小代价函数为指标的QUEST姿态确定算法。对于多视场星敏感器,通过坐标变换方法将多个视场的导航星矢量转换到同一视场中,再利用QUEST算法得到航天器姿态。最后仿真结果表明,坐标变换后进行姿态确定得到的姿态数据与单个视场所得的姿态数据相同,验证了方法的正确性。     

Satellite-station time synchronization information based real-time orbit error monitoring and correction of navigation satellite in Beidou System

Satellite-station two-way time comparison is a typical design in Beidou System(BDS)which is significantly different from other satellite navigation systems.As a type of two-way time comparison method,BDS time synchronization is hardly influenced by satellite orbit error,atmosphere delay,tracking station coordinate error and measurement model error.Meanwhile,single-way time comparison can be realized through the method of Multi-satellite Precision Orbit Determination(MPOD)with pseudo-range and carrier phase of monitor receiver.It is proved in the constellation of 3GEO/2IGSO that the radial orbit error can be reflected in the difference between two-way time comparison and single-way time comparison,and that may lead to a substitute for orbit evaluation by SLR.In this article,the relation between orbit error and difference of two-way and single-way time comparison is illustrated based on the whole constellation of BDS.Considering the all-weather and real-time operation mode of two-way time comparison,the orbit error could be quantifiably monitored in a real-time mode through comparing two-way and single-way time synchronization.In addition,the orbit error can be predicted and corrected in a short time based on its periodic characteristic.It is described in the experiments of GEO and IGSO that the prediction accuracy of space signal can be obviously improved when the prediction orbit error is sent to the users through navigation message,and then the UERE including terminal error can be reduced from 0.1 m to 0.4 m while the average accuracy can be improved more than 27%.Though it is still hard to make accuracy improvement for Precision Orbit Determination(POD)and orbit prediction because of the confined tracking net and the difficulties in dynamic model optimization,in this paper,a practical method for orbit accuracy improvement is proposed based on two-way time comparison which can result in the reflection of orbit error.     

A simplex method for the orbit determination of maneuvering satellites

A simplex method of orbit determination (SMOD) is presented to solve the problem of orbit determination for maneuvering satellites subject to small and continuous thrust. The objective function is established as the sum of the nth powers of the observation errors based on global positioning satellite (GPS) data. The convergence behavior of the proposed method is analyzed using a range of initial orbital parameter errors and n values to ensure the rapid and accurate convergence of the SMOD. For an uncontrolled satellite, the orbit obtained by the SMOD provides a position error compared with GPS data that is commensurate with that obtained by the least squares technique. For low Earth orbit satellite control, the precision of the acceleration produced by a small pulse thrust is less than 0.1% compared with the calibrated value. The orbit obtained by the SMOD is also compared with weak GPS data for a geostationary Earth orbit satellite over several days. The results show that the position accuracy is within 12.0 m. The working efficiency of the electric propulsion is about 67% compared with the designed value. The analyses provide the guidance for subsequent satellite control. The method is suitable for orbit determination of maneuvering satellites subject to small and continuous thrust.