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.

GYRO BIAS ON-ORBIT CALIBRATION FOR MICRO SATELLITES

According to gyro application in micro-satellites, a new gyro bias real-time on-orbit calibration technology is presented and it is independent of any other sensors. The approach relies on gyro on-orbit measurements restricted by satellite attitude dynamics and estimates the gyro bias generated when the gyro is electrified. Observability of the calibration model is analyzed and applicable conditions of the technology are derived. Simulation results indicate that the calibration algorithm is accurate and robust at gyro sampling rate, and its convergence speed is fast. Within the given attitude dynamics model error, the convergence time is less than 100 s and the convergence accuracy is about 1.0 （°）/h. Calibration performance can meet requirements of spacecraft operations.

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.

Overview of Key Technologies and On-orbit Verification of China Space Station

Tiangong space station is a space station independently designed and developed by China.In order to build and operate the space station,it was necessary to make breakthroughs in many fields and master several key technologies,which were characterized over a long technological span and underwent difficult verifications.Therefore,in addition to ground verification,on-orbit flight tests of key technologies for the assembly,construction and operation of the space station were planned to be conducted used by the core module,taking into account the differences in the gravity environment between space and the Earth,in order to lay a foundation for the subsequent comprehensive assembly,construction and long-term on-orbit operation of the space station.In this paper,the mission characteristics of the space station are briefly introduced,along with the key technologies for the assembly and construction of the space station,and then the on-orbit verification tests are comprehensively introduced.

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.

Workspace,stiffness analysis and design optimization of coupled active-passive multilink cable-driven space robots for on-orbit services

The use of space robots(SRs)for on-orbit services(OOSs)has been a hot research topic in recent years.However,the space unstructured environment(i.e.:confined spaces,multiple obstacles,and strong radiation interference)has greatly restricted the application of SRs.The coupled active-passive multilink cable-driven space robot(CAP-MCDSR)has the characteristics of slim body,flexible movement,and electromechanical separation,which is very suitable for extreme space environments.However,the dynamic and stiffness modeling of CAP-MCDSRs is challenging,due to the complex coupling among the active cables,passive cables,joints,and the end-effector.To deal with these problems,this paper proposes a workspace,stiffness analysis and design optimization method for such type of MCDSRs.Firstly,the multi-coupling kinematics relationships among the joint,cables and the end-effector are established.Based on hybrid series-parallel characteristics,the improved coupled active–passive(CAP)dynamic equation is derived.Then,the maximum workspace,the maximum stiffness,and the minimum cable tension are resolved,among them,the overall stiffness is the superposition of the stiffness produced by the active and the passive cable.Furthermore,the workspace,the stiffness,and the cable tension are analyzed by using the nonlinear optimization method(NOPM).Finally,an 8-DOF CAP-MCDSR experiment system is built to verify the proposed modeling and trajectory tracking methods.The proposed modeling and analysis results are very useful for practical space applications,such as designing a new CAP-MCDSR,or utilizing an existing CAP-MCDSR system.

A review of structures,verification,and calibration technologies of space robotic systems for on-orbit servicing

Recently,with the rapid development of aerospace technology,an increasing number of spacecraft is being launched into space.Additionally,the demands for on-orbit servicing(OOS)missions are rapidly increasing.Space robotics is one of the most promising approaches for various OOS missions;thus,research on space robotics technologies for OOS has attracted increased attention from space agencies and universities worldwide.In this paper,we review the structures,ground verification,and onorbit kinematics calibration technologies of space robotic systems for OOS.First,we systematically summarize the development of space robotic systems and OOS programs based on space robotics.Then,according to the structures and applications,these systems are divided into three categories:large space manipulators,humanoid space robots,and small space manipulators.According to the capture mechanisms adopted,the end-effectors are systematically analyzed.Furthermore,the ground verification facilities used to simulate a microgravity environment are summarized and compared.Additionally,the on-orbit kinematics calibration technologies are discussed and analyzed compared with the kinematics calibration technologies of industrial manipulators with regard to four aspects.Finally,the development trends of the structures,verification,and calibration technologies are discussed to extend this review work.

Survey on research and development of on-orbit active debris removal methods

Space debris is growing dramatically with the rapid pace of human exploration of space,which seriously threatens the safety of artificial spacecraft in orbit.Therefore,the active debris removal(ADR)is important.This review aims to review the ADR methods and to advance related research in the future.The current research and development status are clearly demonstrated by mapping knowledge domain and charts.In this paper,the latest research results are classified and summarized in detail from two aspects of space debris capture and removal.The scheme comparison and evaluation of all ADR methods are performed,and the applicable scopes of various methods are summarized.Each ADR method is scored using a cobweb evaluation model based on six indicators.Future development of ADR is discussed to promote further research interest.

Attitude control system design and on-orbit performance analysis of nano-satellite––‘‘Tian Tuo 1’’

＂Tian Tuo 1＂ （TT-1） nano-satellite is the first single-board nano-satellite that was suc- cessfully launched in China. The main objective of TT-1 is technology demonstration and scientific measurements. The satellite carries out the significant exploration of single-board architecture fea- sibility validation, and it is tailored to the low-cost philosophy by adopting numerous commercial- off-the-shelf （COTS） components. The satellite is featured with three-axis stabilization control capability. A pitch bias momentum wheel and three magnetic coils are adopted as control actuators. The sun sensors, magnetometers and a three-axis gyro are employed as the measurement sensors. The quaternion estimator （QUEST） and unscented Kalman filter （UKF） method are adopted for the nano-satellite attitude determination. On-orbit data received by ground station is conducted to analysis the performance of attitude determination and control system （ADCS）. The results show that the design of ADCS for TT-1 is suitable, robust and feasible.

On-orbit calibration of soft X-ray detector on Chang'E-2 satellite

The X-ray spectrometer is one of the satellite payloads on the Chang＇E-2 satellite. The soft X-ray detector is one of the devices on the X-ray spectrometer, designed to detect the major rock-forming elements within the 0.5-10 keV range on the lunar surface. In this paper, energy linearity and energy resolution calibration is done using a weak 55Fe source. Temperature and time effects are found not to give a large error. The total uncertainty of calibration is estimated to be within 5% after correction.

On-orbit real-time magnetometer bias determination for micro-satellites without attitude information

Due to the disadvantages such as complex calculation, low accuracy of estimation, and being non real time in present methods, a new real-time algorithm is developed for on-orbit mag- netometer bias determination of micro-satellites without attitude knowledge in this paper. This method uses the differential value approach. It avoids the impact of quartic nature and uses the iterative method to satisfy real-time applications. Simulation results indicate that the new real-time algorithm is more accurate compared with other methods, which are also tested by an experiment system using real noise data. With the new real-time algorithm, a magnetometer calibration can be taken on-orbit and will reduce the demand for computing power effectively.

Two-Stage Identification Method for Attitude-Control Models of On-Orbit Satellites

A two-stage identification method was developed for attitude-control models of on-orbit satellites for accurate attitude control. The attitude-control models are based on a generalized attitude model （GAM） and its corresponding noise model （NM）. These are both low order models which are able to characterize the main satellite dynamics and the corresponding noise. These low-order attitude-control models facilitate improved controller design and state estimation. This identification approach uses two open-loop identification processes, with higher order auxiliary models used in the estimation for filtering and with the filtered signals used to identify the low order GAM and NM. An identification experiment with a micro-satellite simulator was used to verify the effectiveness of the two-stage identification method.

利用单向多普勒确定“天问一号”轨道

“天问一号”任务中,单向多普勒轨道确定在我国深空探测任务中得到首次实际应用。本文提出了基于单向多普勒的“天问一号”轨道确定方法。首先对单向多普勒进行观测建模和误差理论分析,然后利用“天问一号”中继轨道段的单向多普勒进行定轨计算,最后使用定轨结果与基准轨道的星历进行比较及重叠弧段轨道比较两种方法,分析仅利用单向多普勒的定轨精度,验证了单向多普勒的定轨能力。分析表明,星载频率源的不稳定和太阳相位闪烁噪声是影响单向多普勒测速精度的主要误差源,“天问一号”中继轨道段,仅利用单向多普勒数据可以实现优于1 km的定轨精度,这为未来我国更遥远的深空探测任务实施提供了重要技术存储。