Orbital Coordinate System Research Articles

On the impact of the Yarkovsky effect on Apophis’ orbit

In October 2009, a new set of optical observations of Apophis, a potentially hazardous asteroid, was published. These data have significantly expanded the interval of observations and their total number. In the article we compare the results of refinement of Apophis’ orbit made at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL, United States), the University of Pisa (Italy), and the Institute of Applied Astronomy (IAA) of the Russian Academy of Sciences with consideration for new observations. New orbits lead to a significant decrease in the probability of Apophis’ collision with the Earth in 2036. As a result of processing a large number of observations of asteroids approaching the Earth and main belt asteroids less than 40 km in size, with a large number of optical and, in many cases, radar observations in different oppositions, one of the authors revealed that additional acceleration affects their motion. This acceleration can be represented by the transversal component A2 in the orbital coordinate system. The presence of this acceleration can be interpreted as the Yarkovsky effect. The statistical properties of distribution of A2 for asteroids, for which it is determined quite reliably, evidence in favor of this interpretation. The value of additional acceleration for bodies the size of Apophis falls in the range ±10−13 AU/day2. In this paper we have calculated the probability of Apophis colliding with the Earth in 2036 at different values of the transversal component of additional acceleration A2. For the resulting points, a plot of the probability of the collision against the A2 value has been constructed. At A2 = −8.748 × 10−14 AU/day2 (and zero values of the radial A1 and normal A3 components) the nominal solution for Apophis’ orbit on April 13, 2029, is only 90 m from the middle of a “keyhole” 600 m in width, which leads to a collision of Apophis with the Earth in 2036. Since the scattering ellipse in the target plane in 2029 significantly overlaps the keyhole, the probability of collision at the given additional acceleration value is 0.0022. This result has been verified by the Monte Carlo method. Tests of 10000 random sets of orbital elements, which were found taking into account their correlation, have shown that 22 cases have resulted in virtual asteroids colliding with Earth in 2036. A plot of the probability of the collision against the value of A2 has been constructed.

Non-linear oscillations of a satellite at 1:1:1 resonance

The motion of a satellite about its centre of mass in a central Newtonian gravitational field is investigated. The satellite is considered to be a dynamically symmetrical rigid body. It is assumed that the ratio of the polar and equatorial principal central moments of inertia of the satellite is 4/3, or close to this. The orbit of the centre of mass is elliptic, and the orbit eccentricity is assumed to be small. In the limit case, when the orbit of the centre of mass is circular, a steady motion exists (corresponding to relative equilibrium of the satellite in the orbital system of coordinates) in which the axis of dynamic symmetry is directed along the velocity vector of the centre of mass of the satellite; here, the frequencies of the small linear oscillations of the axis of symmetry are equal or close to one another. But in an elliptic orbit of small eccentricity, multiple 1:1:1 resonance occurs in this case, as the oscillation frequencies mentioned are equal or close to the frequency of motion of the centre of mass of the satellite in orbit. The non-linear problem of the existence, bifurcations and stability of periodic motions of the satellite with a period equal to the rotation period of its centre of mass in orbit is investigated.

Optimal reorientation of a spacecraft's orbit using a jet thrust orthogonal to the orbital plane

The problem of the optimal control of the orientation of a spacecraft's orbit using magnitude-constrained control, i.e., the jet thrust vector perpendicular to the orbital plane, is considered. Under such control the spacecraft's orbit rotates in space as an unalterable (non-deformable) figure. A combined functional, equal to the weighted sum of the reorientation time and an integral quadratic (with respect to the control) quality functional, or equal to the weighted sum of the reorientation time and the control momentum (the characteristic velocity) during reorientation of the orbit serves as an optimality criterion. A quaternion differential equation of the orientation of the orbital system of coordinates and the maximum principle are used to solve the problem. A differential boundary-value problem with a dimension of ten is formulated to construct the optimal control and the optimal trajectory for reorientating the orbit. Control laws that satisfy the necessary optimality conditions are obtained (in the form of functions of conjugate variables). Quaternion and scalar first integrals of the equations of the problem are found, and transversality conditions that do not contain Lagrange undetermined multipliers are devised. It is shown that the original boundary-value problem reduces (with simultaneous simplification of the equations of the problem) to a new boundary-value problem of a smaller dimension equal the three, whose equations for a circular orbit in the case of maximum speed are integrated in trigonometric functions. Such a reduction is possible owing to the self-conjugation of the quaternion differential equation of the orientation of the orbital system of coordinates of the spacecraft and the use of a new quaternion variable that is related to the quaternion first integral by a rotational transformation. It is found that the switching function of the control is described by a system of three first-order differential equations, which reduce to a linear inhomogeneous second-order equation with constant coefficients for a circular orbit in the time-optimal case and to the Duffing equation in the case of an integral quadratic quality functional. It is also shown that for a circular orbit in the time-optimal case the problem reduces to solving a third-order non-linear algebraic system. An example of a numerical solution of the problem is presented. ©2012.

Optimal low-thrust transfers between close near-circular coplanar orbits

Four types of optimal solutions are demonstrated to exist for transfers (time of flight is not fixed) between close near-circular coplanar orbits. One solution is realized with the help of fixed orientation of the propulsion system (PS) along a transversal in the orbital coordinate system. Another is reached at fixed orientation of the PS in the inertial coordinate system. The third and fourth types of solutions change the PS orientation in the process of executing the maneuver. Regions of existence are established for all types of solutions, and algorithms for determination of parameters of these maneuvers are suggested. The algorithms were used to calculate parameters of the maneuvers of transfer from a launching orbit to a working Sun-synchronous orbit, and to calculate the maneuvers of supporting the parameters of such an orbit in a specified range.

Non-linear oscillations of a 1:1 resonance Hamiltonian system

The non-linear oscillations of an autonomous two-degree-of-freedom Hamiltonian system in the neighbourhood of its stable equilibrium position are considered. It is assumed that the Hamilton function is sign-definite in the neighbourhood of the equilibrium position and that the values of the frequencies of its linear oscillations are equal or close to one another (1:1 resonance). The investigation is carried out using the example of the problem of the motion of a dynamically symmetrical rigid body (satellite) about its centre of mass in a circular orbit in a central Newtonian gravitational field. In this problem there is relative equilibrium of the rigid body in the orbital system of coordinates, for which its axis of dynamic symmetry is directed along the velocity vector of the centre of mass. Resonance occurs when the ratio of the polar and equatorial principal central moments of inertia is equal to 4/3 or is close to it. The problem of the existence, bifurcation and orbital stability of the periodic motions of a rigid body generated from its relative equilibrium is solved. Some aspects of the existence of quasiperiodic motions are also considered.

The Application of Quasi-Mean-Element-Method to LEO under Additional Perturbation due to Change of Coordinate System

The perturbation caused by the oscillation of Earth's equator plane must be taken into account when working on the motion of satellite on a low Earth orbit (LEO) in the geocentric celestial coordinate system. Since 1960 s, an intermediate orbit coordinate system using true equator and mean equinox (TEME) is introduced. It effectively solves the problem and has been widely used in various applications till today. But this traditional reference frame is purely conceptual and has always been a headache when performing the transition between these systems especially for those who are unfamiliar with celestial frames. As proved in a previous paper, it is possible to avoid the intermediate TEME frame, and conversions between osculating elements and mean elements can be completed in a consistent geocentric celestial coordinate system where only short-period terms are required. In this paper, after including the improved secular and long-period terms, the quasi-mean-element-method is available to predict the orbit analytically, reaching the accuracy of 10 −6 in Earth's radius. And all these can be done in the same celestial frame. The results suggest that the celestial coordinate system (J2000.0 nowadays) can be used throughout any applications without having to introduce TEME system as intermediate frame any more.

Optimum parameters of a gravitational satellite-stabilizer system

Dynamics of a satellite-stabilizer system is studied. It is supposed that there is a viscous friction in a hinge connecting two bodies, but there is no elasticity. The attitude motion in a plane of circular orbit is considered, and parameters are determined, at which natural oscillations near a stable equilibrium position in the orbital coordinate system are damped out most rapidly. The rate of transient processes is estimated by a value of the degree of stability of linearized equations of motion. The optimization of the degree of stability is sequentially performed in dimensionless damping coefficient (the first stage) and in inertial system parameters (the second stage). The result of the first stage is the partition of system parameter space into the regions, in each of which the maximum of the degree of stability is reached on a particular configuration of roots of the characteristic equation. It is shown at the second stage that the global maximum is reached at two points of parameter space, where one of system bodies degenerates into a plate, and the characteristic equation has four equal real roots.

Dynamics of an axisymmetric gyrostat satellite under the action of gravitational moment

Dynamics of an axisymmetric gyrostat satellite moving in the central Newtonian force field along a circular orbit is investigated. All equilibrium positions of the gyrostat satellite in the orbital coordinate system are determined, and the sufficient stability conditions of equilibrium positions are derived.

Optimal control of a spinning double-pyramid Earth-pointing tethered formation

The dynamics and control of a tethered satellite formation for Earth-pointing observation missions is considered. For most practical applications in Earth orbit, a tether formation must be spinning in order to maintain tension in the tethers. It is possible to obtain periodic spinning solutions for a triangular formation whose initial conditions are close to the orbit normal. However, these solutions contain significant deviations of the satellites on a sphere relative to the desired Earth-pointing configuration. To maintain a plane of satellites spinning normal to the orbit plane, it is necessary to utilize “anchors”. Such a configuration resembles a double-pyramid. In this paper, control of a double-pyramid tethered formation is studied. The equations of motion are derived in a floating orbital coordinate system for the general case of an elliptic reference orbit. The motion of the satellites is derived assuming inelastic tethers that can vary in length in a controlled manner. Cartesian coordinates in a rotating reference frame attached to the desired spin frame provide a simple means of expressing the equations of motion, together with a set of constraint equations for the tether tensions. Periodic optimal control theory is applied to the system to determine sets of controlled periodic trajectories by varying the lengths of all interconnecting tethers (nine in total), as well as retrieval and simple reconfiguration trajectories. A modal analysis of the system is also performed using a lumped mass representation of the tethers.

To the problem of plane periodic rotations of a satellite in an elliptic orbit

We study the motion of a satellite (a rigid body) with respect to its center of mass in an elliptic orbit of small eccentricity. We analyze the nonlinear problem of the existence and stability of periodic (in the orbital coordinate system) rotations of the satellite with a period multiple of the period of revolution of its center of mass in the orbit. We study the direct and reverse rotations. In particular, we find and investigate the set of bifurcation values of the satellite dimensionless inertial parameter near which the branching of the periodic reverse rotations occurs. We consider three specific examples of application of the obtained general theoretical conclusions. In one of these examples, we prove the stability of the direct resonance rotations of Mercurial type. In the other two examples, we consider the branching problem for reverse rotations with a period whose ratio to the period of motion of the center of mass in the orbit is equal to 1 or 2.

On the Additional Perturbation Due to the Change of Coordinate System of Earth Satellites and the Choice of Reference Systems

针对地球赤道面的摆动,曾提出过两种空间地心赤道坐标系,即历元地心平赤道坐标系和混合形式的轨道坐标系.在后一种坐标系中虽然可避免计算因地球引力位变化所引起的坐标系附加摄动的麻烦,但这又带来了两种坐标系之间的不统一和转换的麻烦.针对实际现状,直接在历元地心平赤道坐标系中给出相应的坐标系附加摄动解,所有与此有关的转换问题,均可在历元地心平赤道坐标系中进行,而无需为了避免坐标系附加摄动的计算去通过轨道坐标系来实现.从而建议,不必再引进轨道坐标系,在卫星定轨和预报中,所有的转换问题均可采用同一坐标系,即历元(目前是J2000.0)地心平赤道坐标系.

Nanosatellite REFLECTOR: Choice of parameters of the attitude control system

We consider methodological and applied problems of choosing parameters and developing a passive gravity-gradient attitude control system for the REFLECTOR nanosatellite. The attitude control system consists of appropriately distributed satellite mass and additional masses forming the required tensor of inertia, as well as of a set of hysteresis rods manufactured from a magnetically soft material. The combination of these elements allows one, independent of the satellite’s initial angular motion, to maintain its three-axial orientation in the orbital coordinate system with preset performance in precision and fast response. The satellite’s dynamics is investigated using asymptotic and numerical methods. The problems of arrangement of the additional masses and hysteresis rods are discussed, as well as their interaction with magnetizable elements.

Attitude stabilization of a rigid spacecraft in the geomagnetic field

An analytical method is proposed to study the attitude stability of a triaxial spacecraft moving in a circular Keplerian orbit in the geomagnetic field. The method is developed based on the electrodynamics effect of the influence of the Lorentz force acting on the charged spacecraft’s surface. We assume that the rigid spacecraft is equipped with an electrostatic charged protective shield, having an intrinsic magnetic moment. The main elements of this shield are an electrostatic charged cylindrical screen surrounding the protected volume of the spacecraft. The rotational motion of the spacecraft about its centre of mass due to torques from gravitational force, as well Lorentz and magnetic forces is investigated. The equilibrium positions of the spacecraft in the orbital coordinate system are obtained. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the stability of the spacecraft’s equilibrium positions are constructed using Lyapunov’s direct method. The numerical results have shown that the Lorentz force has a significant influence on the stability of the equilibrium positions, which can affect the attitude stabilization of the spacecraft.

Stabilization of the non-trivial relative equilibria of a gyrostat with an elastic element in a circular orbit

The motion of a gyrostat, regarded as a rigid body, in a circular Kepler orbit in a central Newtonian force field is investigated in a limited formulation. A uniformly rotating statically and dynamically balanced flywheel is situated in the rigid body. A uniform elastic element, which, during the motion of the system, is subjected to small deformations, is rigidly connected to the rigid body-gyrostat body. The problem is discretized without truncating the corresponding infinite series, based on a modal analysis or using a certain specified system of functions, for example, of the assumed forms of the oscillations, which depend on the spatial coordinates and which satisfy appropriate boundary-value problems of the linear theory of elasticity. The elastic element is specified in more detail (a rod, plate, etc.), as well as its mass and stiffness characteristics and the form of the fastening, and the choice of the system of functions is determined. Non-trivial relative equilibria of the system (the state of rest with respect to an orbital system of coordinates when the elastic element is deformed) is sought approximately on the basis of a converging iteration method, described previously. It is shown, using Routh's theorem, that by an appropriate choice of the gyrostatic moment and when certain conditions, imposed on the system parameters are satisfied, one can stabilize these equilibria (ensure that they are stable).

Determination of the Attitude Motion of a Satellite Based on a Kinematical Model of Motion and Using Data of Measurements of Its Angular Velocity and the Earth’s Magnetic Field Strength

An integral statistical procedure of determination of the attitude motion of a satellite using the data of onboard measurements of angular velocity vectors and the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field (EMF) is suggested. The procedure uses only the equations of kinematics of a solid body and is applicable to determining both controlled and uncontrollable motions of a satellite at any external mechanical moments acting upon it. When applying this procedure, the data of measurements of both types, accumulated during a certain interval of time, are processed jointly. The data of measuring the angular velocity are smoothed by discrete Fourier series, and these series are substituted into kinematical Poisson equations for elements of the matrix of transition from a satellite-fixed coordinate system to the orbital coordinate system. The equations thus obtained represent a kinematical model of the satellite motion. The solution to these equations (which approximate the actual motion of a satellite) is found from the condition of the best (in the sense of the least squares method) fit of the data of measuring the EMF strength vector to its calculated values. The results of testing the suggested procedure using the data of measurements of the angular velocity vectors onboard the Foton-12 satellite and measurements of EMF strengths are presented.

Three-dimensional elastic earthquake modelling based on integrated seismological and InSAR data: theMw= 7.2 Nuweiba earthquake, gulf of Elat/Aqaba 1995 November

The Nuweiba earthquake (1995 November 22; Mw= 7.2), the largest seismic event along the Dead Sea Transform (DST) in at least 160 yr, ruptured 45–50 km along the Aragonese segment of the left-stepping strike-slip fault system occupying the gulf of Elat/Aqaba (southern segment of the DST). The rupture initiated in a partly normal, low-slip first subevent near the southern end of the fault and propagated unilaterally north-northeastward as a high-slip, nearly pure sinistral second subevent, which was responsible for over 90 per cent of the total seismic moment. The source mechanism and slip distribution, derived from inversion of teleseismic broad-band waveforms, are used to construct a 3-D elastic model of the earthquake based on the boundary elements method, resulting in the full 3-D displacement and stress fields induced by the earthquake. In the absence of sufficient Global Positioning System data, the only other constraints on the geometry and slip distribution of the rupture are provided by interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) measurements spanning the coseismic and early post-seismic period. We calculate simulated interferograms by transforming the calculated surface displacement field into the satellite coordinate system and comparing them with the observed interferograms. The model parameters are then iteratively modified until a best-fitting model is obtained, providing a refined set of static source parameters for the mainshock. This model is then used to calculate the static Coulomb stress changes induced by the mainshock on the step-over faults, suggesting that the major (Mw≥ 5) aftershocks in the first eight post-seismic months were triggered by small changes (<1 bar) in the left-lateral Coulomb stress, with effective friction coefficient not higher than 0.2. Aftershock distribution and mechanisms indicate that the available Coulomb stress dropped below the frictional strength of the fault but was not complete.

Multipole Models of the Earth's Magnetic Field

To develop a mathematical model of rotational motion of an artificial satellite about its center of mass under the action of various forces (magnetic, Lorentz, etc.) caused by the geomagnetic field, it is necessary to know the induction of the Earth's magnetic field (EMF) as a function of the radius vector of a given point in the near-Earth space. Because the EMF possesses a complex structure and the above-mentioned functional dependence is unavailable in explicit analytic form, a set of approximate models of the EMF should be used. The simplest such model—a right dipole (aligned with the axis of rotation)—does not enable one to reveal in detail the influence of diurnal EMF rotation on the rotational motion of a satellite. The next EMF approximation—an inclined magnetic dipole—does not suffer from the above-mentioned drawback. However, it is shown that not all corrections to the magnetic induction of the EMF of the same order of magnitude are taken into account in the course of transformation from the model of aligned dipole to the model of inclined dipole. So, to develop the EMF model accurately accounting for the absence of axial symmetry of the EMF with respect to the axis of diurnal rotation of the Earth, in general, the effect of the quadrupole component of the geomagnetic potential on the EMF induction (and, probably, even the components of higher orders) must be taken into consideration. By using the International Geomagnetic Reference Field IGRF-2000, the multipole models of the EMF, corresponding to quadrupole, octupole, and higher-order approximations, were constructed and studied in this work. The EMF potential is expressed in terms of its multipole tensors. As a result, projections of the induction and induction gradient of EMF in the center of mass of the satellite onto the axes of the orbital coordinate system can be written in convenient and concise form. The expressions for the first four multipole tensors through the known geomagnetic constants are found. A method for estimating the reliability of these models is put forward, and the regions of applicability of the quadrupole and octupole models are drawn on the plane of orbital parameters.

Magnetic Attitude Control System for Low-Earth Orbit Satellites

A small spacecraft (SC) under consideration is intended forperforming a scientific mission on the low-Earth orbit for a long time(a year or more). A control system of the SC provides the constructionof regime of three-axis orientation of the SC in the orbital coordinatesystem and the stabilization of that regime, and must be autonomous,low-weight and low-cost. The magnetic control system that consists ofthe information subsystem based solely on three-axis magnetometermeasurings and the magnetic actuators satisfies in the best wayrequirements mentioned above. Such system can estimate both orbitalmotion parameters and attitude ones of the SC. But the absence of theadditional instruments and damping devices complicates the estimationsince the range of initial conditions uncertainly is wide and theproblem of estimating becomes essentially nonlinear. To get over thesedifficulties a recursive state estimation algorithm with enhancedconvergence is proposed. The magnetic control moment is synthesized bythe vector function Lyapunov method.

Attitude Control of a Spacecraft in the Orbital Coordinate System Using Ellipsoidal Estimates of its State Vector

Attitude Control of a Spacecraft in the Orbital Coordinate System Using Ellipsoidal Estimates of its State Vector

Mechanics of Trajectory Optimization Using Nonsingular Variational Equations in Polar Coordinates

Thecompletesetofthestateand adjoint differentialequationsforthenonsingularequinoctialorbitelementsexpressed in polar coordinatesand written in terms of the truelongitudeispresented. Previous formulations adopted the equinoctial frame as the orbital frame for component resolution of the various perturbation accelerations. The consideration of the position dependency of the J2 acceleration in the context of precision integrated orbital transfer trajectories led us to adopt the more convenient polar frame coupled with the use of the true longitude as the accessory variable needed in the description of the variational equations, inasmuch as it is more dife cult to generate the contribution of the J2 perturbation to the adjoint equations if the variational equations are left in terms of the eccentric longitude. I. Introduction T HEconsideration of thenonsingularequinoctialorbitelements has been of great benee t in trajectory propagation and optimization.References1 ‐7 madeuseofthecorresponding variational equations resolved in the equinoctial orbital coordinate system. In Refs. 8‐12, modern numerical methods based on the techniques of collocation and nonlinear programming are applied to the solutionoflow-thrustEarth-boundandinterplanetarytrajectories.These direct methods have introduced robustness characteristics to the optimization process and were e rst used with great success by launch vehicle trajectory optimization and performance analysts. In particular, Betts 9,10 uses a variety of equinoctial element sets within the framework of the direct method. Following the more traditional approach based on the calculus of variations and the indirect shooting method,thispaper developsthe differentialequationsforthe adjoint or multiplier variables to be numerically integrated simultaneously withthestatedifferentialequationstosolvethetwo-point-boundaryvalue orbit transfer problem. As noted by Betts, the elements of the matrix of partial derivatives of the Hamiltonian with respect to the equinoctial elements derived here in analytic form can be used to developacertainanalyticJacobianmatrixinconnectionwithnonlinear programming (NLP) solvers used with direct methods, thereby saving considerable computation time with respect to the adoption ofa numerically determined Jacobian. The variational equations are usually expressed in terms of the eccentric longitude, which can either be left as an accessory variable or be adopted as the fastor sixth orbital element. In Ref. 3, the averaged J2 perturbation effect was accounted for in the design of the optimal transfer trajectory. However, when the exact or rather position-dependent J2 effect must be considered in the context of precision integrated transfer solutions, the J2 perturbation acceleration components become dependent on the eccentric longitude. Because these components are given in the rotating Euler‐Hill or polar frame, it is much simpler to use this frame as the orbital frame instead of the equinoctial framebecause otherwise the transformed expressions for these components become more complicated. These expressions are still quite complicated if expressed in terms of the eccentric longitude even if the polar frame is used. This is important because we must take the partial derivatives of these expressions with respect to the elements to generate the adjoint differential equations. This task is made easier by expressing the variational equations for the J2 perturbation in terms of the true