This paper proposes a fuel-optimal deorbit scheme for space debris deorbit using tethered space tug.The scheme contains three stages named respectively as dragging,maintenance and swinging.In the first stage,the tug,p...This paper proposes a fuel-optimal deorbit scheme for space debris deorbit using tethered space tug.The scheme contains three stages named respectively as dragging,maintenance and swinging.In the first stage,the tug,propelled by continuous thrust,tows deorbit to a transfer orbit with a tether.Then in the second stage,the combination of the tug and the debris flies unpowered and uncontrolled to a swing point on the transfer orbit.Finally,in the third stage,the tug is propelled at the swing point and the rotation speed of the tethered system increases such that the debris obtains enough velocity increment.The trajectory optimization of the first stage is established considering the total fuel consumption of the three stages,whereas the dynamic model is simplified for computation efficiency.The solution to the optimal problem is obtained using a direct method based on Gauss pesudospectral discretization.Then a model predictive controller is designed to track the open-loop optimal reference trajectories,reducing the states’deviations caused by model simplification and ignorance of perturbations.Furthermore,it is proved that the fuel-optimal swing point is the apogee of the transfer orbit.The paper analyzes the fuel consumption of a typical scenario and demonstrates effectiveness of the proposed deorbit scheme numerically.展开更多
In order to control the growth of space debris,a novel tethered space robot(TSR) was put forward.After capture,the platform,tether,and target constituted a tethered combination system.General nonlinear dynamics of the...In order to control the growth of space debris,a novel tethered space robot(TSR) was put forward.After capture,the platform,tether,and target constituted a tethered combination system.General nonlinear dynamics of the tethered combination system in the post-capture phase was established with the consideration of the attitudes of two spacecrafts and the quadratic nonlinear elasticity of the tether.The motion law of the tethered combination in the deorbiting process with different disturbances was simulated and discussed on the premise that the platform was only controlled by a constant thrust force.It is known that the four motion freedoms of the tethered combination are coupled with each other in the deorbiting process from the simulation results.A noticeable phenomenon is that the tether longitudinal vibration does not decay to vanish even under the large tether damping with initial attitude disturbances due to the coupling effect.The approximate analytical solutions of the dynamics for a simplified model are obtained through the perturbation method.The condition of the inter resonance phenomenon is the frequency ratio λ_1=2.The case study shows good accordance between the analytical solutions and numerical results,indicating the effectiveness and correctness of approximate analytical solutions.展开更多
Electrodynamic tethered deorbit technology is a novel way to remove abandoned spacecrafts like upper stages or unusable satellites. This paper investigates and analyses the deorbit performance and mission applicabilit...Electrodynamic tethered deorbit technology is a novel way to remove abandoned spacecrafts like upper stages or unusable satellites. This paper investigates and analyses the deorbit performance and mission applicability of the electrodynamic tethered system. To do so, the electrodynamic tethered deorbit dynamics with multi-perturbation is firstly formulated, where the Earth magnetic field, the atmospheric drag, and the Earth oblateness effect are considered. Then, the key system parameters, including payload mass, tether length and tether type, are analyzed by numerical simulations to investigate their influences on the deorbit performance and to give the setting principles for choosing system parameters. Based on this and given an appropriate group of system parameters, numerical simulations are undertaken to study the impact of the mission parameters, including orbit height and orbit inclination, and thus to investigate the mission applicability of the electrodynamic tethered deorbit technology.展开更多
With the escalating frequency of space activities,particularly the launch of constellation satellites,the amount of space debris experienced gradually increases,posing threats to the safety and sustainability of the s...With the escalating frequency of space activities,particularly the launch of constellation satellites,the amount of space debris experienced gradually increases,posing threats to the safety and sustainability of the space environment.To counteract the growth of debris,active deorbit devices are imperative for spacecrafts.In low Earth orbit(LEO),the drag sail device has emerged as a highly effective solution due to its ability to increase the spacecraft’s windward area,facilitating rapid deorbit by leveraging atmospheric drag as the primary perturbation.In this study,recent developments of membrane drag sail deorbit technology for LEO satellites are summarized,as well as the current problems such as attitude instability,dangerous space environment,and folding and unfolding issues.Moreover,crucial technologies such as modeling and simulation of deorbit efficiency,attitude stabilization,collision risk analysis and protection design,sail surface atomic oxygen protection design,and folding and unfolding of the drag sail are discussed.Finally,the development trends and technology applications of membrane drag sail deorbit for LEO satellites are presented.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.11772023)。
文摘This paper proposes a fuel-optimal deorbit scheme for space debris deorbit using tethered space tug.The scheme contains three stages named respectively as dragging,maintenance and swinging.In the first stage,the tug,propelled by continuous thrust,tows deorbit to a transfer orbit with a tether.Then in the second stage,the combination of the tug and the debris flies unpowered and uncontrolled to a swing point on the transfer orbit.Finally,in the third stage,the tug is propelled at the swing point and the rotation speed of the tethered system increases such that the debris obtains enough velocity increment.The trajectory optimization of the first stage is established considering the total fuel consumption of the three stages,whereas the dynamic model is simplified for computation efficiency.The solution to the optimal problem is obtained using a direct method based on Gauss pesudospectral discretization.Then a model predictive controller is designed to track the open-loop optimal reference trajectories,reducing the states’deviations caused by model simplification and ignorance of perturbations.Furthermore,it is proved that the fuel-optimal swing point is the apogee of the transfer orbit.The paper analyzes the fuel consumption of a typical scenario and demonstrates effectiveness of the proposed deorbit scheme numerically.
基金Project (51475411) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject (LY15E070002) supported by Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘In order to control the growth of space debris,a novel tethered space robot(TSR) was put forward.After capture,the platform,tether,and target constituted a tethered combination system.General nonlinear dynamics of the tethered combination system in the post-capture phase was established with the consideration of the attitudes of two spacecrafts and the quadratic nonlinear elasticity of the tether.The motion law of the tethered combination in the deorbiting process with different disturbances was simulated and discussed on the premise that the platform was only controlled by a constant thrust force.It is known that the four motion freedoms of the tethered combination are coupled with each other in the deorbiting process from the simulation results.A noticeable phenomenon is that the tether longitudinal vibration does not decay to vanish even under the large tether damping with initial attitude disturbances due to the coupling effect.The approximate analytical solutions of the dynamics for a simplified model are obtained through the perturbation method.The condition of the inter resonance phenomenon is the frequency ratio λ_1=2.The case study shows good accordance between the analytical solutions and numerical results,indicating the effectiveness and correctness of approximate analytical solutions.
文摘Electrodynamic tethered deorbit technology is a novel way to remove abandoned spacecrafts like upper stages or unusable satellites. This paper investigates and analyses the deorbit performance and mission applicability of the electrodynamic tethered system. To do so, the electrodynamic tethered deorbit dynamics with multi-perturbation is firstly formulated, where the Earth magnetic field, the atmospheric drag, and the Earth oblateness effect are considered. Then, the key system parameters, including payload mass, tether length and tether type, are analyzed by numerical simulations to investigate their influences on the deorbit performance and to give the setting principles for choosing system parameters. Based on this and given an appropriate group of system parameters, numerical simulations are undertaken to study the impact of the mission parameters, including orbit height and orbit inclination, and thus to investigate the mission applicability of the electrodynamic tethered deorbit technology.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12232003)the State Administration of Science,Technology and Industry for National Defense KJSP2020010301.
文摘With the escalating frequency of space activities,particularly the launch of constellation satellites,the amount of space debris experienced gradually increases,posing threats to the safety and sustainability of the space environment.To counteract the growth of debris,active deorbit devices are imperative for spacecrafts.In low Earth orbit(LEO),the drag sail device has emerged as a highly effective solution due to its ability to increase the spacecraft’s windward area,facilitating rapid deorbit by leveraging atmospheric drag as the primary perturbation.In this study,recent developments of membrane drag sail deorbit technology for LEO satellites are summarized,as well as the current problems such as attitude instability,dangerous space environment,and folding and unfolding issues.Moreover,crucial technologies such as modeling and simulation of deorbit efficiency,attitude stabilization,collision risk analysis and protection design,sail surface atomic oxygen protection design,and folding and unfolding of the drag sail are discussed.Finally,the development trends and technology applications of membrane drag sail deorbit for LEO satellites are presented.
