Application of GPS to space vehicles: analysis of space environmentand errors

GPS based systems become extremely competitive for space applications because of their all-weather capabilities and continual information on position, velocity, precise time and even attitude to increase mission effectiveness, reduce mission cost, minimize requirements of on-board devices. In this paper, space application environment and error sources have been systematically analyzed, including geometric location of user with GPS satellites, dynamic state, physical environment and the effects on positioning accuracy. Several special differential GPS technologies to space use are proposed     

Navstar Global Positioning System: Progress Report

All three segments of the GPS, space, control, and user equipment, are now in production. Extensive testing during Phase I and II of the program has proven that the GPS provides a quantum improvement over the capabilities of existing navigational systems and significant mission enhancement in a broad range of military operations. Production of the Block II satellites is progressing on schedule, but the space shuttle accident will delay completion of the full constellation by about two years. The Control Segment is fully operational and will transition to Space Command in 1987. The user equipment will enter production and undergo further testing during the LRIP period to ensure that service operational effectiveness and suitability requirements are met before commencing full-rate production. The GPS should be fully operational in the early 1990's and will provide a powerful force enhancer for all the military services for many years to come.     

Next generation GOES satellite power subsystem

Hughes space and communications was awarded a contract in January 1998 from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center for the design, manufacture, integration and launch of two next generation geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES) and options for two additional satellites. The satellites measure weather phenomena as the primary mission and X-rays and charged particles as the secondary missions. This paper describes the GOES electrical power subsystem (EPS) requirements, architecture, hardware and energy balance analysis. As of this writing, the design of the EPS has completed the critical design review phase and the hardware has entered the manufacturing phase     

交会对接任务天基双目标测控通信设计

针对交会对接任务对测控通信提出的高覆盖率和双目标测控等需求的问题,分析2颗中继卫星能够提供的覆盖率,设计双目标测控工作模式以及天地协同机制,计算中继链路的性能,分析表明,天基测控可提供约72%的测控覆盖率,能够支持双目标测控,链路余量满足要求;统计了任务中关键段落的测控通信工作情况,分析结果和实际任务情况验证了天基测控在交会对接任务测控通信中的重要作用;最后提出后续任务改进和完善的建议。     

Integrating BDS and GPS for precise relative orbit determination of LEO formation flying

Low-Earth-Orbit(LEO) formation-flying satellites have been widely applied in many kinds of space geodesy. Precise Relative Orbit Determination(PROD) is an essential prerequisite for the LEO formation-flying satellites to complete their mission in space. The contribution of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System(BDS) to the accuracy and reliability of PROD of LEO formation-flying satellites based on a Global Positioning System(GPS) is studied using a simulation method. Firstly, when BDS is added to GPS, the mean number of visible satellites increases from9.71 to 21.58. Secondly, the results show that the 3-Dimensional(3 D) accuracy of PROD, based on BDS-only, GPS-only and BDS + GPS, is 0.74 mm, 0.66 mm and 0.52 mm, respectively. When BDS co-works with GPS, the accuracy increases by 29.73%. Geostationary-Earth-Orbit(GEO) satellites and Inclined Geosynchronous-Orbit(IGSO) satellites are only distributed over the Asia-Pacific region; however, they could provide a global improvement to PROD. The difference in PROD results between the Asia-Pacific region and the non-Asia-Pacific region is not apparent. Furthermore, the value of the Ambiguity Dilution Of Precision(ADOP), based on BDS + GPS, decreases by 7.50% and 8.26%, respectively, compared with BDS-only and GPS-only. Finally, if the relative position between satellites is only a few kilometres, the effect of ephemeris errors on PROD could be ignored. However, for a several-hundred-kilometre separation of the LEO satellites, the SingleDifference(SD) ephemeris errors of GEO satellites would be on the order of centimetres. The experimental results show that when IGSO satellites and Medium-Earth-Orbit(MEO) satellites co-work with GEO satellites, the accuracy decreases by 17.02%.     

Space Flight Validation of Design and Engineering of the ZDPS-1A Pico-satellite

The ZDPS-1A pico-satellites are the first satellites in China within the 1-10 kg mass range that are successfully operated on orbit. Unlike common pico-satellites, they are designed to be "larger but stronger" with more powerful platforms and unique payloads so as to bear a better promise for real applications. Through their space flight mission, the functionality and performance of the two flight models are tested on orbit and validated to be mostly normal and in consistency with design and ground tests with only several inconforming occasions. Moreover, they have worked properly on orbit for one year so far, well exceeding their life expectancy of three months. Therefore, the space flight mission has reached all its goals, and verified that the design concept and the engineering process of the picosatellites are sufficient in allowing them the desired functionality and performance in, and the adaption to the launch procedure and the low-Earth orbit space environment. In the foreseeable future, the platform together with the design concept and the engineering process of the pico-satellites are expected to be applied to more complicated real space applications.     

Possible Future Use of Laser Gravity Gradiometers

With the GRACE mission under way and the GOCE mission well along in the design process, detailed questions concerning the type of future mission that may follow them have arisen. It is generally agreed that determining the time variations in the Earth's gravity field with as high spatial and temporal resolution as is feasible will be the main driver for such a mission. The possible use of laser heterodyne measurements between separate satellites in such a mission has been discussed by a number of people. The first suggestion of emphasizing time variation measurements in a laser mission was the TIDES concept presented in 1992 by Colombo and Chao. Then, in 2000, a GRACE Follow-On mission using laser measurements between two drag-free satellites was discussed by Watkins el al. (2000). More recently, the possibility of utilizing laser measurements between more than two satellites in order to determine two or more components of the gravity gradient tensor simultaneously has been proposed by Balmino. This approach may be desirable in order to reduce the aliasing of time variations between geopotential terms of different degree and order, as well as to improve the resolution in longitude, despite the cost of the additional satellites. In this paper, we discuss specific possible mission geometries for measuring the two diagonal in-plane components of the gravity gradient tensor simultaneously. This could be done, for example, by laser heterodyne measurements between two pairs of satellites in coplanar and nearly polar orbits. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ground Compatibility Tests for Gravity Measurement of SELENE: Accuracies of Two- and Four-Way Doppler and Range Measurements

The Japanese lunar mission Selenological and Engineering Explorer (SELENE) was launched in September 2007 and continued its mission until June 2009, when the main orbiter impacted with the surface of the Moon. SELENE consisted of three satellites: Main, Rstar, and Vstar. Rstar’s tasks were to forward up-link signals from the Usuada Deep Space Center (UDSC) to Main, and to down-link returning signals from Main to UDSC. We refer to this tracking sub-system as a four-way Doppler measurement. In contrast, conventional tracking systems between Rstar and UDSC as well as between Main and ground stations are referred to as two-way Doppler and range measurements. Using Main and Rstar, we successfully observed the gravity field over the farside of the Moon. Because four-way Doppler measurements via a relay sub-satellite were a fundamental experiment in space for Japanese space agencies, compatibility of radiometric instruments onboard Main and Rstar to UDSC were carefully examined at the UDSC using components manufactured for flight models. These tests not only proved the feasibility of the four-way Doppler measurements but also provided biases and variations of the four-way Doppler and two-way Doppler and range measurements that were later taken into account during the processing of tracking data and the analysis of the lunar global gravity field.     

A new high performance multipurpose satellite tracking system

The European Space Agency's (ESA) multipurpose satellite tracking system is introduced. The system is able to perform accurate satellite ranging and Doppler measurements for a variety of mission types, i.e., from near-Earth satellites to deep space probes. The ranging signal is analyzed and described in an analytical manner from which the limits of the system performance are derived. A model of the overall system is presented and a few simulation results obtained thereby are compared with measurements performed with the ESA's Giotto and Hipparcos scientific missions     

空间激光通信现状、发展趋势及关键技术分析

针对目前空间激光通信的背景需求,介绍了国内外星、空、地、海等平台间的空间激光通信研究与试验现状。通过对空间激光通信现状的分析,并结合科研实践,归纳出空间激光通信的高速率、网络化、多用途、一体化、多谱段5个未来发展趋势。在此基础上,从空间激光通信系统的光学结构、通信收发以及环境影响等方面,着重分析了高质量光学系统设计、高精度捕获对准跟踪、大气信道影响补偿、高速率高功率发射、高灵敏度低误码探测、一对多通信网络、平台振动与姿态补偿、器件部件空间适应性8项关键技术,并提出相关技术的解决方法和途径,进而给出须进一步深入研究的方向,展示了空间激光通信良好的应用前景。     

An Overview of the Fast Auroral SnapshoT (FAST) Satellite

The FAST satellite is a highly sophisticated scientific satellite designed to carry out in situ measurements of acceleration physics and related plasma processes associated with the Earth's aurora. Initiated and conceptualized by scientists at the University of California at Berkeley, this satellite is the second of NASA's Small Explorer Satellite program designed to carry out small, highly focused, scientific investigations. FAST was launched on August 21, 1996 into a high inclination (83°) elliptical orbit with apogee and perigee altitudes of 4175 km and 350 km, respectively. The spacecraft design was tailored to take high-resolution data samples (or `snapshots') only while it crosses the auroral zones, which are latitudinally narrow sectors that encircle the polar regions of the Earth. The scientific instruments include energetic electron and ion electrostatic analyzers, an energetic ion instrument that distinguishes ion mass, and vector DC and wave electric and magnetic field instruments. A state-of-the-art flight computer (or instrument data processing unit) includes programmable processors that trigger the burst data collection when interesting physical phenomena are encountered and stores these data in a 1 Gbit solid-state memory for telemetry to the Earth at later times. The spacecraft incorporates a light, efficient, and highly innovative design, which blends proven sub-system concepts with the overall scientific instrument and mission requirements. The result is a new breed of space physics mission that gathers unprecedented fields and particles observations that are continuous and uninterrupted by spin effects. In this and other ways, the FAST mission represents a dramatic advance over previous auroral satellites. This paper describes the overall FAST mission, including a discussion of the spacecraft design parameters and philosophy, the FAST orbit, instrument and data acquisition systems, and mission operations.     

Integration of Large Power Systems into Manned Space Stations

Essential design factors and system characteristics are explored for integration of large power systems into manned space stations. The impact of the type of power system selected upon the space station is outlined, as is the impact of the mission requirements upon the selection of power systems. Criteria for resolving the selection/application/ integration problems are provided. Comparisons between systems are based on recently defined space-station models for 90-day to five-year mission durations in the 1970' s, with four-to nine-man crews. Power systems encompass power levels from 3 to 50 kWe and include solar cell/battery. fuel cell, hybrid fuel cell/solar cell, radioisotope, and nuclear reactor systems. Thermoelectric, Brayton cycle, organic Rankine, and liquid-metal Rankine power conversion systems are considered for the nuclear energy sources. Both rigid and roll-out photovoltaic array configurations are analyzed with respect to the solar energy source.     

Space and Maritime Strategy

A globally deployed Navy requires and uses space systems and services. Specific mission support areas of communications, navigation, environmental data, and surveillance are discussed in terms of requirements and program developments. Navy role in pioneering space systems combined with threat assessment validates Navy position of space system acquisition and operation in the future.     

Selecting and scheduling observations of agile satellites

This article concerns the problem of managing the new generation of Agile Earth Observing Satellites (AEOS). This kind of satellites is presently studied by the French Centre National d'Études Spatiales (PLEIADES project). The mission of an Earth Observing Satellite is to acquire images of specified areas on the Earth surface, in response to observation requests from customers. Whereas non-agile satellites such as SPOT5 have only one degree of freedom for acquiring images, the new generation satellites have three, giving opportunities for a more efficient use of the satellite imaging capabilities. Counterwise to this advantage, the selection and scheduling of observations becomes significantly more difficult, due to the larger search space for potential solutions. Hence, selecting and scheduling observations of agile satellites is a highly combinatorial problem. This article sets out the overall problem and analyses its difficulties. Then it presents different methods which have been investigated in order to solve a simplified version of the complete problem: a greedy algorithm, a dynamic programming algorithm, a constraint programming approach and a local search method.     

Geology of the Icy Satellites

In the last 25 years, the explorations of the Voyager and Galileo missions have resulted in an entirely new view of the icy worlds orbiting the giant outer planets. These objects show a huge diversity in their characteristics, resulting from their formation histories, internal processes and interactions with their space environments. This paper will review the current state of knowledge about the icy satellites and discuss the exciting prospects for the upcoming Cassini/Huygens mission as it begins a new era of exploration of the Saturn satellite system.     

A brief review of alternative propellants and requirements for pulsed plasma thrusters in micropropulsion applications

Technological miniaturization has enabled the development of small satellites weighing as little as 1 kg. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of suitable efficient micropropulsion systems at these scales. The pulsed plasma thruster is a structurally simple form of electric propulsion. This simplicity also makes it ideally suited for miniaturization. Its history can be traced back to applications in satellites that are much larger than micro/nano-satellites. The vast majority of modern pulsed plasma thrusters use solid polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as a propellant. Unfortunately, at lower discharge energy levels such as those necessitated by the power limitations of micro/nano-satellites, PTFE has a tendency to exhibit carbon deposition, which can ultimately lead to thruster failure. In this new era of small satellites, it is important to consider alternative propellants in the miniaturization of pulsed plasma thrusters. This brief review discusses the needs and limitations of small satellites and alternative propellants that may be able to meet these needs. Such propellants may be able to offer advantages such as a longer thruster lifetime, a higher specific impulse, or a higher thrust-to-power ratio. This would enable the development of different types of pulsed plasma thrusters that can be tailored towards specific mission requirements.     

Major new thrust for MEMS engines

The application of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) to space flight is reviewed. The applications include use as microthrusters on mini-size and smaller satellites, in missile defense systems, and as propulsion systems for miniature unmanned aerial vehicles.     

Orbital and Attitude Prediction Accuracy Requirements for Satellites

This paper examines the criteria for selecting the orbital and attitude prediction accuracy requirements for communications satellites. The accuracy requirements have been analyzed in terms of the various space operations involved, e.g., satellite acquisition, guidance and control, communications, telemetry, and command. It is hoped that the findings of this investigation will prove useful in satellite mission planning and design, thereby facilitating a judicious choice of the various satellite and ground components of the related subsystems.     

Tracking and data acquisition for space exploration

The tracking and data acquisition systems provide the key link between the remote spacecraft and the scientific experimenter on the ground. The operation of the space experiment takes place through the links of command, telemetry and tracking. The evolution from the early very simple spacecraft missions toward more complex and sophisticated missions has been paralleled by a similar evolution in the tracking and data acquisition systems. The early Minitrack interferometer tracking system still carries the major tracking workload for space missions; however greater tracking accuracy requirements for more recent missions, such as the Orbiting Geophysical Observatory and the Apollo mission, have brought about the development of unified tracking and data acquisition systems which utilize hybrid pseudo-random code/sidetone ranging techniques. The data acquisition has evolved from analog telemetry systems to the present day heavy use of PCM digital telemetry. Likewise the command systems have evolved from early simple on/off command systems into PCM digital command data systems. The trend is toward greater real time control of more complex functions on board the spacecraft. Newer spacecraft are incorporating computer-type systems in the spacecraft which require programming and memory load through the ground command link. The most attractive concept for the next generation network for tracking and data acquisition is a network consisting of synchronous-orbit Tracking and Data Relay Satellites for covering launches and low-orbit earth satellites plus a few selected ground stations for supporting spacecraft in high earth orbit and lunar orbit.     

Data Processing at KAGUYA Operation and Analysis Center

The functions of KAGUYA(SELENE) Operation and Analysis Center (SOAC) are to operate three satellites: the main orbiter KAGUYA and two small satellites, Relay satellite OKINA and VRAD (VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) RADio source) satellite OUNA; and to process, archive and provide mission data. SOAC has two main functional areas, “Tracking and Control system” and “Mission Operation and Data Analysis system.” The former is for operational planning of bus and mission instruments including satellite navigation, and for the implementation of those plans and for the evaluation of satellite conditions. The latter is the system that processes, archives and provides mission data, and which principal investigators use to generate higher-level data products. Data up to the end of the operation in June 2009 have been processed and the total amount of Level-2 data products reaches about 50 TB. The data products have been released to the public since November 2009.