On-orbit Geometric Calibration and Preliminary Accuracy Evaluation of GF-14 Satellite

GF-14 satellite is a new generation of sub-meter stereo surveying and mapping satellite in China,carrying dual-line array stereo mapping cameras to achieve 1∶10000 scale topographic mapping without Ground Control Points(GCPs).In fact,space-based high-precision mapping without GCPs is a challenging task that depends on the close cooperation of several payloads and links,of which on-orbit geometric calibration is one of the most critical links.In this paper,the on-orbit geometric calibration of the dual-line array cameras of GF-14 satellite was performed using the control points collected in the high-precision digital calibration field,and the calibration parameters of the dual-line array cameras were solved as a whole by alternate iterations of forward and backward intersection.On this basis,the location accuracy of the stereo images using the calibration parameters was preliminarily evaluated by using several test fields around the world.The evaluation result shows that the direct forward intersection accuracy of GF-14 satellite images without GCPs after on-orbit geometric calibration reaches 2.34 meters(RMS)in plane and 1.97 meters(RMS)in elevation.

On-orbit sleep problems of astronauts and countermeasures

Sufficient sleep duration and good sleep quality are crucial to ensure normal physical and mental health, cognition and work performance for the common people, as well as astronauts. On-orbit sleep problem is very common among astronauts and has potential detrimental influences on the health of crewmembers and the safety of flight missions. Sleep in space is becoming a new medical research frontier. In this review we summarized on-orbit sleep problems of astronauts and six kinds of causes, and we presented the effects of lack of sleep on performance as well as mental and physical health, then we proposed seven kinds of countermeasures for sleep disturbance in spaceflight, including pharmacologic interventions, light treatment, crew selection and training, Traditional Chinese Medicine and so on. Furthermore, we discussed and oriented the prospect of researches on sleep in space.

On-orbit target tracking and inspection by satellite formation

A new type of estimator is developed for the satellite formation to track and inspect on-orbit targets. The follower satellite in the formation works without relative sensors, and its target pointing commands are derived based on relative orbital dynamics. The centralized estimator based on truth measurement is designed, however, this estimator is proved unstable because of the lack of necessary measurement information. After that, an alternative estimator based on pseudo measurement is designed, and its observability and controllability are analyzed to qualitatively evaluate the convergence performance. Finally, an on-orbit target inspection scenario is numerically simulated to verify the performance of the estimator based on pseudo measurement.

On-orbit Geometric Calibration of Linear Push-broom Optical Satellite Based on Sparse GCPs

The paper presents a geometric calibration method based on the sparse ground control points (GCPs), aiming to the linear push-broom optical satellite. This method can achieve the optimal estimate of internal and external parameters with two overlapped image pair along the charge-coupled device (CCD), and sparse GCPs in the image region, further get rid of the dependence on the expensive calibration site data. With the calibrated parameters, the line of sight (LOS) of all CCD detectors can be recovered. This paper firstly establishes the rigorous imaging model of linear push-broom optical satellite based on its imaging mechanism. And then the calibration model is constructed by improving the internal sensor model with a viewing-angle model after an analysis on systematic errors existing in the imaging model is performed. A step-wise solution is applied aiming to the optimal estimate of external and internal parameters. At last, we conduct a set of experiments on the ZY-3 NAD camera and verify the accuracy and effectiveness of the presented method by comparison.

GF-5 VIMI On-Orbit Calibration Instrument and Performance

The Visible and Infrared Multispectral Imager (VIMI) is one of the main payloads of the GF-5 satellite. It has 12 spectral bands covering the wavelength from visible light to thermal infrared. The imager designed life is 8 years. In order to monitor and correct the radiometric performance of the imager for a long time and meet the user’s demand for the quantitative remote sensing application, the expandable diffuser used for calibration in full FOV and full optical path method is designed. The solar diffuser is installed on the front side of the optical system and does not affect the normal imaging of VIMI. When VIMI need calibration, the diffuser is expand to the front of optical system via the driving mechanism. According to the characteristics of the GF-5 satellite orbit, the requirement of the calibration energy and the installation matrix of the imager relative to the satellite, the expansion angle of the diffuser is 39 degrees. The 430 mm × 430 mm large-size PTEE diffuser is manufactured to ensure full FOV and full optical path calibration. The diffuser’s directional hemispherical reflectance is higher than 95% from 420 nm to 2400 nm and variation of BRDF in the direction of imager observation is better than 2.5%. The diffuser stability monitoring radiometer is designed to monitor the on-orbit attenuation performance of the diffuser. Results of ground simulation experiments and preliminary on-board calibration experiments were introduced.

Calibration chain design based on integrating sphere transfer radiometer for SI-traceable on-orbit spectral radiometric calibration and its uncertainty analysis

In order to satisfy the requirement of SI-traceable on-orbit absolute radiation calibration transfer with high accuracy for satellite remote sensors,a transfer chain consisting of a fiber coupling monochromator（FBM） and an integrating sphere transfer radiometer（ISTR） was designed in this paper.Depending on the Sun,this chain based on detectors provides precise spectral radiometric calibration and measurement to spectrometers in the reflective solar band（RSB） covering 300–2500 nm with a spectral bandwidth of 0.5–6 nm.It shortens the traditional chain based on lamp source and reduces the calibration uncertainty from 5% to 0.5% by using the cryogenic radiometer in space as a radiometric benchmark and trap detectors as secondary standard.This paper also gives a detailed uncertainty budget with reasonable distribution of each impact factor,including the weak spectral signal measurement with uncertainty of 0.28%.According to the peculiar design and comprehensive uncertainty analysis,it illustrates that the spectral radiance measurement uncertainty of the ISTR system can reach to 0.48%.The result satisfies the requirements of SI-traceable on-orbit calibration and has wider significance for expanding the application of the remote sensing data with high-quality.

Multi-Feature Fusion Based Relative Pose Adaptive Estimation for On-Orbit Servicing of Non-Cooperative Spacecraft

On-orbit servicing, such as spacecraft maintenance, on-orbit assembly, refueling, and de-orbiting, can reduce the cost of space missions, improve the performance of spacecraft, and extend its life span. The relative state between the servicing and target spacecraft is vital for on-orbit servicing missions, especially the final approaching stage. The major challenge of this stage is that the observed features of the target are incomplete or are constantly changing due to the short distance and limited Field of View (FOV) of camera. Different from cooperative spacecraft, non-cooperative target does not have artificial feature markers. Therefore, contour features, including triangle supports of solar array, docking ring, and corner points of the spacecraft body, are used as the measuring features. To overcome the drawback of FOV limitation and imaging ambiguity of the camera, a "selfie stick" structure and a self-calibration strategy were implemented, ensuring that part of the contour features could be observed precisely when the two spacecraft approached each other. The observed features were constantly changing as the relative distance shortened. It was difficult to build a unified measurement model for different types of features, including points, line segments, and circle. Therefore, dual quaternion was implemented to model the relative dynamics and measuring features. With the consideration of state uncertainty of the target, a fuzzy adaptive strong tracking filter( FASTF) combining fuzzy logic adaptive controller (FLAC) with strong tracking filter(STF) was designed to robustly estimate the relative states between the servicing spacecraft and the target. Finally, the effectiveness of the strategy was verified by mathematical simulation. The achievement of this research provides a theoretical and technical foundation for future on-orbit servicing missions.

A parallel pipeline connected-component labeling method for on-orbit space target monitoring

The paper designs a peripheral maximum gray differ-ence(PMGD)image segmentation method,a connected-compo-nent labeling(CCL)algorithm based on dynamic run length(DRL),and a real-time implementation streaming processor for DRL-CCL.And it verifies the function and performance in space target monitoring scene by the carrying experiment of Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft(TZ-3).The PMGD image segmentation method can segment the image into highly discrete and simple point tar-gets quickly,which reduces the generation of equivalences greatly and improves the real-time performance for DRL-CCL.Through parallel pipeline design,the storage of the streaming processor is optimized by 55%with no need for external me-mory,the logic is optimized by 60%,and the energy efficiency ratio is 12 times than that of the graphics processing unit,62 times than that of the digital signal proccessing,and 147 times than that of personal computers.Analyzing the results of 8756 images completed on-orbit,the speed is up to 5.88 FPS and the target detection rate is 100%.Our algorithm and implementation method meet the requirements of lightweight,high real-time,strong robustness,full-time,and stable operation in space irradia-tion environment.

A Shape-Memory Deployable Subsystem with a Large Folding Ratio in China’s Tianwen-1 Mars Exploration Mission

Once China’s Tianwen-1 Mars probe arrived in a Mars orbit after a seven-month flight in the deep cold space environment,it would be urgently necessary to monitor its state and the surrounding environment.To address this issue,we developed a flexible deployable subsystem based on shape memory polymer composites(SMPC-FDS)with a large folding ratio,which incorporates a camera and two temperature telemetry points for monitoring the local state of the Mars orbiter and the deep space environment.Here,we report on the development,testing,and successful application of the SMPC-FDS.Before reaching its Mars remote-sensing orbit,the SMPC-FDS is designed to be in a folded state with high stiffness;after reaching orbit,it is in a deployed state with a large envelope.The transition from the folded state to the deployed state is achieved by electrically heating the shape memory polymer composites(SMPCs);during this process,the camera on the SMPC-FDS can capture the local state of the orbiter from multiple angles.Moreover,temperature telemetry points on the SMPC-FDS provide feedback on the environment temperature and the temperature change of the SMPCs during the energization process.By simulating a Mars on-orbit space environment,the engineering reliability of the SMPC-FDS was comprehensively verified in terms of the material properties,structural dynamic performance,and thermal vacuum deployment feasibility.Since the launch of Tianwen-1 on 23 July 2020,scientific data on the temperature environment around Tianwen-1 has been successfully acquired from the telemetry points on the SMPCFDS,and the local state of the orbiter has been photographed in orbit,showing the national flag of China fixed on the orbiter.

A New Generation of Intelligent Mapping and Remote Sensing Scientific Test Satellite Luojia-301

With the continuous improvement of the performance and the increasing variety of optical mapping and remote sensing satellites,they have become an important support for obtaining global accurate surveying and mapping remote sensing information.At present,optical mapping and remote sensing satellites already have sub-meter spatial resolution capabilities,but there is a serious lag problem in mapping and remote sensing information services.It is urgent to develop intelligent mapping and remote sensing satellites to promote the transformation and upgrading to real-time intelligent services.Firstly,based on the three imaging systems of the optical mapping and remote sensing satellites and their realization methods and application characteristics,this paper analyzes the applicable system of the intelligent mapping and remote sensing satellites.Further,according to the application requirements of real-time,intelligence,and popularization,puts forward the design concept of integrated intelligent remote sensing satellite integrating communication,navigation,and remote sensing and focuses on the service mode and integrated function composition of intelligent remote sensing satellite.Then expounds on the performance and characteristics of the Luojia-301 satellite,a new generation of intelligent surveying and mapping remote sensing scientific test satellite.And finally summarizes and prospects the development and mission of intelligent mapping remote sensing satellites.Luojia-301 satellite integrates remote sensing and communication functions.It explores an efficient and intelligent service mode of mapping and remote sensing information from data acquisition to the application terminal and provides a real service verification platform for on-orbit processing and real-time transmission of remote sensing data based on space-ground internet,which is of great significance to the construction of China’s spatial information network.

Space truss construction modeling based on on-orbit assembly motion feature

More space truss construction has been planned to develop and utilize space resources.These trusses are designed in the way of large-scale,complex,modular,and on-orbit assembly.To meet the upcoming challenge of large-scale space infrastructure construction,it is necessary to study space truss automation design and robotic construction.This paper proposes an ordinal finite screw adjacency matrix model(OFSAMM),focusing on the relationship between assembly motions,to express and compute a space truss structure.In this model,a space truss is abstracted as a set of ordered assembly motions,each of which is recorded as a finite screw as the basic element of the truss and its assembly.The operation of truss transformation is also derived under this model.Therefore,the truss configuration,the assembly sequence,the truss sub-assembly,the truss components,and the on-orbit assembly task can be expressed and calculated in a unified model,which is calculated and stores the truss topology and assembly with the minimum storage cost.At the end of this paper,we introduce how to synthesize and optimize space truss design through two cases.The study will help to improve design efficiency.Furthermore,it provides a theoretical basis for the automatic construction of space truss structures,especially in the next stage.

An introductory review of swarm technology for spacecraft on-orbit servicing

This review paper presents a comprehensive evaluation and forward-looking perspective on the underexplored topic of servicing target objects using spacecraft swarms.Such targets can be known or unknown,cooperative or uncooperative,and pose significant challenges in modern space operations due to their inherent complexity and unpredictability.Successfully servicing space objects is vital for active debris removal and broader on-orbit servicing tasks such as satellite maintenance,repair,refueling,orbital assembly,and construction.Significant effort has been invested in the literature to explore the servicing of targets using a single spacecraft.Given its advantages and benefits,this paper expands the discussion to encompass a swarm approach to the problem.This review covers various single-spacecraft approaches and presents a critical examination of the existing,although limited,body of work dedicated to servicing orbital objects using multiple spacecraft.The focus is also broadened to include some influential studies concerning the characterization,capture,and manipulation of physical objects by general multiagent systems,a subject with significant parallels to the core interest of this manuscript.Furthermore,this article also delves into the realm of simultaneous localization and mapping,highlighting its application within close-proximity operations in space,especially when dealing with unknown uncooperative targets.Special attention is paid to the benefits that this field can receive from distributed multiagent architectures.Finally,an exploration of the promising field of swarm robotics is presented,with an emphasis on its potential to revolutionize the servicing of orbital target objects.Concurrently,a survey of general research directly engaging swarms in the orbital context is conducted.This review aims to bridge the knowledge gap and stimulate further research in the underexplored domain of servicing space targets with spacecraft swarms.

基于敦煌场地定标的FY-3MERSI反射太阳波段在轨响应变化分析

鉴于中分辨率光谱成像仪不能实现反射太阳波段的星上绝对辐射定标,提出了基于地表方向模型、矢量辐射传输模型6SV并联合MODTRAN吸收透过率校正的敦煌场替代定标新方法,4年的同步定标结果表明,除了水汽吸收中心波段之外,定标不确定度小于5%,而多数波段优于3%。以Aqua MODIS为辐射基准的大气顶辐射计算试验表明,正演与卫星观测间的平均偏差在波长<1μm的窗区波段小于3%,波长>1μm的小于5%(除了2.1μm波段);此外,经场地定标的MERSI表观反射率与MODIS具有很好的一致性。基于多年的场地定标结果发现:可采用二次多项式拟合定标系数的时间变化,进而实现逐天的定标更新;波长<0.6μm的波段衰变较大,波段8(0.41μm)入轨第一年的衰变率约为14%;在轨初期衰变最大,一年后趋缓,两年后部分波长>0.6μm的波段出现响应增加现象。

Reactionless robust finite-time control for manipulation of passive objects by free-floating space robots

On-orbit servicing requires efficient techniques for manipulating passive objects. The paper aims at developing a reactionless control method that drives the manipulator to manipulate passive objects with high precision, while inducing no disturbances to its base attitude. To this end, decomposition of the target dynamics from the base dynamics is discussed, so that they can be considered as two independent subsystems. A reactionless nonlinear controller is presented, which ensures high-precision manipulation of the targets and that the base orientation is unchanged. This is achieved by combining the robust finite-time control with the reaction null space. Finally, the performance of the proposed method is examined by comparing it with that of a reactionless PD controller and a pure finite-time controller.

Hybrid Passive/Active Vibration Control of a Loosely Connected Spacecraft System

In this paper,a hybrid passive/active vibration(HPAV)controller of a loosely connected spacecraft consisting of a servicing satellite,a target and an X-shape structure isolator is first proposed to suppress vibrations of the system when subjected to the impulsive external excitations during the on-orbit missions.The passive dynamic response of the combined system can be adjusted appropriately to achieve the desired vibration isolation performance by tuning the structural parameters of the bio-inspired X-shape structure.Moreover,the adaptive control design through dynamic scaling technique is selected as the active component to maintain high vibration isolation performance in the presence of parameter uncertainties such as mass of the satellite platform,the damping and rotation friction coefficients of the X-shape structure.Compared with the pure passive system and the traditional spring-mass-damper(SMD)isolator,the HPAV strategy witnesses lower transmissibility,smaller vibration amplitude and higher convergence rate when subjected to the post-capture impact.Numerical simulations demonstrate the feasibility and validity of the proposed hybrid control scheme in suppressing vibrations of the free-floating spacecraft.

Retrieval strategy for failed satellite on tether’s optimal balance swing angle

A retrieval control strategy for failed satellite,which is connected to a servicing spacecraft by a tether,is studied.The Lagrange analytical mechanics based dynamics modeling for the system composed of a servicing spacecraft,a tether and a failed satellite,is presented under the earth center inertia coordinate system,then model simplification is conducted under the assumption that the failed satellite’s mass is far smaller than the servicing spacecraft’s,meanwhile the tether’s length is far smaller than the size of the servicing spacecraft’s orbit.Analysis shows that the retrieval process is intrinsically unstable as the Coriolis force functions is a negative damping.A retrieval strategy based on only the tether’s tension is designed,resulting in the fastest retrieval speed.In the proposed strategy,firstly,the tether’s swing angle amplitude is adjusted to 45?by deploying/retrieving the tether;then the tether swings freely with fixed length until it reaches negative maximum angle–45?;finally,the tether is retrieved by the pre-assigned exponential law.For simplicity,only the coplanar situation,that the tether swings in the plane of the servicing spacecraft’s orbit,is studied.Numerical simulation verifies the effectiveness of the strategy proposed.

ICESat's performance and the application in Dome A area in Antarctica

This paper summarized the on-orbit measurement performance of GLAS, and analyzed the precision of its data products. By comparing the high-accuracy ICE- Sat measurements with the GPS ground surveys during 21st CHINARE inner ice sheets expedition, it is analyzed and validated that the suggested Dome A area and the measured peak point of Antarctica inner ice sheets defined during 21st CHINARE are both correct.

超声弹性成像应变率在乳腺结节诊断中的价值探讨

目的比较超声弹性成像应变率比值法与评分法在乳腺结节良恶性鉴别诊断的准确性。方法回顾性分析我院2013年12月—2015年12月在我科就诊中怀疑乳腺恶性肿瘤的84例患者(98个结节)的超声弹性成像资料。结果弹性超声应变率比值法判定良性结节60个,恶性结节38个,其灵敏度94.4%,特异度93.5%,准确率93.9%。评分法判定良性结节58个,恶性结节40个,其灵敏度91.7%,特异度88.7%,准确率89.8%。超声弹性成像应变率比值法与评分法诊断准确率比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论超声弹性成像应变率比值法与评分法鉴别乳腺结节良恶性的准确性相似。

Dynamics and nonlinear control of space electromagnetic docking

Space electromagnetic docking technology, free of propellant and plume contamination, offers continuous, reversible and synchronous controllability, which is widely applied in the future routine on-orbit servicing missions. Due to the inherent nonlinearities, couplings and uncertainties of an electromagnetic force model, the dynamics and control problems of them are difficult. A new modeling approach for relative motion dynamics with intersatellite force is proposed. To resolve these control problems better, a novel nonlinear control method for soft space electro-magnetic docking is proposed, which combines merits of artificial potential function method, Lyapunov theory and extended state observer. In addition, the angular momentum management problem of space electromagnetic docking and approaches of handling it by exploiting the Earth＇s magnetic torque are investigated. Finally, nonlinear simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of the dynamic model and the novel nonlinear control method.

Calibration Method of Magnetometer Based on BP Neural Network

Due to the influence of processing technology and environmental factors, there are errors in attitude measurement with the three-axis magnetometer, and the change of parameters during the operation of the magnetometer in orbit will have a great impact on the measurement accuracy. This paper studies the calibration method of magnetometer based on BP neural network, which reduces the influence of model error on calibration accuracy. Firstly, the error model of the magnetometer and the structural characteristics of the BP neural network are analyzed. Secondly, the number of hidden layers and hidden nodes is optimized. To avoid the problem of slow convergence and low accuracy of basic BP algorithm, this paper uses the Levenberg Marquardt backpropagation training method to improve the training speed and prediction accuracy and realizes the on-orbit calibration of magnetometer through online training of the neural network. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is verified by numerical simulation. The results show that the neural network designed in this paper can effectively reduce the measurement error of magnetometer, while the online training can effectively reduce the error caused by the change of magnetometer parameters, and reduce the measurement error of magnetometer to less than 10 nT.