Distributed coordinated attitude tracking control for spacecraft formation with communication delays

This paper investigates the distributed coordinated attitude tracking control problem for spacecraft formation with time-varying communication delays under the condition that the dynamic leader spacecraft is a neighbor of only a subset of follower spacecrafts. We consider two cases for the leader spacecraft: i) the attitude derivative is constant, and ii) the attitude derivative is time-varying. In the first case, a distributed estimator is proposed for each follower spacecraft by using its neighbors’ information with communication delays. In the second case, to express the dynamic leader’s attitude, an improved distributed observer is developed to estimate the leader’s information. Based on the estimated values, adaptive coordinated attitude tracking control laws are designed to compensate for parametric uncertainties and unknown disturbances. By employing the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional approach, the attitude tracking errors and estimation errors are proven to converge to zero asymptotically. Numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of theoretical results.     

Unraveling the attitudes on entrepreneurial universities: The case of Croatian and Spanish universities

The objective of this paper is to present evidence that there are different types of supportive faculty members. We conducted a case study on a sample of Croatian and Spanish universities by using an already tested ENTRE-U scale for measuring the faculty members' attitudes. These two scenarios are quite different in terms of their innovation systems, economic context and university system. We tested and found no evidence of any statistically significant difference due to the country. These two facts suggest the possible existence of an isomorphic trajectory when implementing entrepreneurial universities regardless the context. University managers should be aware of the existence of three different types of supportive individuals. Each of these groups requires a certain program of human resource development. This shifts the debate to how entrepreneurial universities should manage the tensions arising from the need of some degree of specialization in any of the three roles of the faculty members, namely teaching, researching and transfer of the knowledge stemming from research results.     

Observer-based prescribed performance attitude control for flexible spacecraft with actuator saturation

This paper investigates the prescribed performance attitude control problem for flexible spacecraft subject to external disturbances and actuator constraints. By using a new performance function and an error transformation, the attitude control system is transformed into an error system which will be kept bounded to ensure expected dynamic and steady-state responses. Compared with the commonly used performance function, the modified one has an explicit prespecified terminal time which determines the maximum convergence time of the attitude control system. A modal observer and a disturbance observer are designed to deal with the flexible vibration and disturbances, respectively. Furthermore, when considering actuator saturation, an improved control strategy is developed with an auxiliary system utilized to compensate the saturation. The stability of the closed-loop system is analyzed by Lyapunov theory. Simulation results show the effectiveness and performance of the proposed methods.     

Robust distributed attitude synchronization of multiple three-DOF experimental helicopters

Multiple experimental three-degrees-of-freedom (three-DOF) helicopters that are equipped with active disturbance systems constitute an attractive platform to validate robust control strategies. In this paper, a distributed synchronization controller is developed for such a platform, where each helicopter is subjected to unknown model uncertainties and external disturbances, and the desired trajectories are generated online, communicated through a network and not accessible by all helicopters. The controller is composed of a continuous tracker and a continuous uncertainty and disturbance estimator (UDE). The tracker makes the nominal closed-loop system globally asymptotically stable, and the UDE output is used to reject total uncertainties. The conditions that ensure zero-error tracking for each helicopter are identified; for the case with nonzero error, explicit relationship inequalities between the involved design parameters and the ultimate bound of error are revealed. Experimental results of four cases demonstrate improved tracking and synchronization accuracy of using the UDE with small parameters.     

Attitude estimation using high-grade gyroscopes

This paper addresses the problem of attitude estimation using the angular velocity of Earth as a reference vector. A nonlinear observer is proposed that evolves on the special orthogonal group and is aided by angular velocity readings containing implicit measurements of the Earth’s spin. Additionally, the observer resorts to body-fixed measurements of one constant inertial reference vector. The observer’s sole tuning parameter, shaped as a matrix gain, is computed from a time-varying Kalman filter strategically applied to a uniformly observable linear time-invariant system, which is obtained from the linearized rotation matrix error dynamics. The nonlinear observer is proved to be locally exponentially stable but, most noticeably, in spite of this local-based inception, a Monte Carlo simulation analysis demonstrates the good properties of the observer in terms of convergence rate, tuning capability, and large basin of attraction. Furthermore, extensive experimental results confirm the properties of the proposed technique and validate its usage in real world applications.     

Attitude maneuver control of flexible spacecraft by observer-based tracking control

A constraint equation-based control law design for large angle attitude maneuvers of flexible spacecraft is addressed in this paper. The tip displacement of the flexible spacecraft model is prescribed in the form of a constraint equation. The controller design is attempted in the way that the constraint equation is satisfied throughout the maneuver. The constraint equation leads to a two-point boundary value problem which needs backward and forward solution techniques to satisfy terminal constraints. An observer-based tracking control law takes the constraint equation as the input to the dynamic observer. The observer state is used in conjunction with the state feedback control law to have the actual system follow the observer dynamics. The observer-based tracking control law eventually turns into a stabilized system with inherent nature of robustness and disturbance rejection in LQR type control laws.     

基于精密星敏感器的航天器高精度姿态测量标定方法

为了解决传统航天器姿态测量方法中存在的误差率高的问题,提出基于精密星敏感器的航天器高精度姿态测量标定方法。首先对使用的精密星敏感器进行设计,并将在不影响航天器运行的前提下安装在合适的位置上。通过建立运动坐标系、坐标参数转换和设置姿态参数三个步骤得出航天器运动模型,在该模型下分析出航天器姿态的基本运动规律、利用精密星敏感器识别并选取航天器空间下的任意三个星点,最后综合定位的星点和航天器姿态的运动规律,从不同的角度上确定航天器姿态测量结果,为了提高航天器姿态测量结果的精度进行标定处理。通过模拟实验分析得出结论：与传统测量方法相比,基于精密星敏感器的航天器高精度姿态测量标定方法的平均误差率降低了6.0%。     

Intentions to participate in political crowdfunding- from the perspective of civic voluntarism model and theory of planned behavior

The study has integrated the civic voluntarism and planned behavior model to check the intentions of people towards political crowdfunding. Participation in politics is the civic duty of a citizen in a democratic country and exercising this right leads to government formation. Participation in the political process is behavior influenced by the intention to do so. The study examines the influence of the civic voluntarism model (CVM) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) factors on the intention to participate in political crowdfunding. The study was done in India, the largest democracy in the world, taking a sample size of 374 respondents. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data through SmartPLS-3.2. The results of this study revealed that resources - financial, time, and technological - are essential for participating in political crowdfunding. Political engagement, political interest, and political awareness are significantly associated with the intention to participate in crowdfunding. Online community engagement also shows a positive relationship with the intention. Among the three factors of TPB, attitude and subjective norms are significantly influencing the intention towards participation. The results of this study will help the political parties and candidates to identify factors that will help them to get maximum funding and support from the crowd through political crowdfunding. The theoretical implication is that political crowdfunding can come up as a distinct segment of crowdfunding to be studied.     

基于卡尔曼滤波的四元数姿态解算算法研究

针对MEMS惯性测量单元器件特性导致的测量精度低,数据发散和航向角积分漂移等问题,提出一种基于卡尔曼滤波的四元数姿态解算算法。设计了4维卡尔曼滤波器,通过加速度计和磁力计的数据作观测量,对姿态解算过程中的四元数进行线性最优估计,在计算量没有大幅提高的前提下修正了四元数的值,进而完成了对姿态角和姿态矩阵的补偿。通过在无磁转台上进行静态测试以及在测试标定系统上进行动态测试,分析各轴向的补偿效果表明,该方法可以有效增强MIMU的动态跟随性能、明显提升姿态解算精度。     

小型无人直升机模型辨识数据处理方法研究

针对小型无人直升机模型频域辨识过程中的姿态角速率测量误差,提出了一种飞行数据处理方法。该方法采用飞行试验扫频测试技术,确保激励信号能够满足不同频段下模型辨识对飞行数据的需求;设计基于有色噪声的卡尔曼滤波器以降低紊流风场对飞行测量数据的影响,同时,对飞行测量数据使用数据预处理的方法以剔除测量噪声、野值、直流成分和低频分量。在小型无人直升机系统各通道中进行验证,验证结果表明,所提出的飞行数据处理方法能够满足小型无人直升机模型辨识对姿态角速率数据精度的要求,为精确建模提供了较高质量的飞行数据。