Orbite terrestre basse | EPFL Graph Search

vignette|Différentes orbites terrestre ; la partie bleu turquoise représente l'orbite terrestre basse.vignette|Parcours de la moitié d'une orbite par la Station spatiale internationale. L’orbite terrestre basse ou OTB (LEO en anglais, pour low earth orbit) est une zone de l'orbite terrestre allant jusqu'à d'altitude, située entre l'atmosphère et la ceinture de Van Allen. Y orbitent des satellites de télédétection, des satellites de télécommunications ainsi que quelques stations spatiales, dont la Station spatiale internationale. Cette zone contient les orbites terrestres basses équatoriales (ELEO en anglais, pour equatorial low earth orbits), dont l'inclinaison très basse par rapport à l'équateur amène les plus faibles exigences de delta-v et permettent . Les orbites terrestres situées au-dessus de l'orbite terrestre basse sont l'orbite terrestre moyenne et, plus haut encore, l'orbite géostationnaire. L'orbite terrestre basse, avec l'orbite géostationnaire, fait l'objet d'une atte

Doppler-based positioning using LEO augmented satellite constellation - Simulations of perspectives

Alice Andreetti

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) refers to a constellation of satellites emitting signals from space, used to provide Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services to the receivers on Earth. Nowadays, the GNSS is exploited in a wide range of applications among which ground mapping, transportation, machine control, timing, surveying, defense, or aerial photogrammetry [1]. However, as we become more dependent on GNSS technology, we also become more vulnerable to its limitations [2]. The GNSS operates with satellites orbiting in Medium Earth Orbits (MEO, approximately 20200 [km] in altitude). On one hand, this great distance allows to have a large footprint of the satellite signal on Earth, but on the other hand, it requires the signal to cross a wide path in the atmosphere before reaching the receiver. This results in a decrease of signal strength, which is not an issue in open-sky condition, but becomes a limitation in deep attenuation environments, with little or no service in urban canyon, in dense cities or indoors [3]. In this contribution, a possible strategy to cope with this issue is proposed and evaluated through a simulation process. It implies the use of Low Earth Orbits (LEO) satellites as a support for the GNSS PNT service. Since nowadays no broadband big LEO constellation broadcasting navigation messages exist, in this project various LEO constellation setups have been simulated and tested. Because LEOs are much closer to Earth (200 to 1500 [km]), they move faster in the sky, passing overhead in minutes instead of hours like MEOs. This gives rise to the possibility to exploit the Doppler effect to accurately locate the user. Therefore, three different PNT algorithms, employing the Kalman filter, are implemented and the evaluation of the localization quality is made at four distinct locations on the globe. The results show that, for most of the cases, compared to the standard GPS pseudorange only PNT, the addition of LEO pseudoranges already improve the localization quality. The performance of the PNT algorithm increases even more with the exploitation of both pseudoranges and pseudorangerates (Doppler) measurements. Nevertheless, the choice of constellation parameters such as satellites altitude, total number of satellites, orbit inclination or the frequency of the emitted signal, has a great impact on the magnitude of the improvement in the localization quality. The factor that has the most significant influence seems to be the signal frequency and for that reason it must be carefully chosen: the higher the better. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that at high elevation cut-off angles (denied environments), the addition of LEO constellation is a valid option and allows us to obtain an accurate position even when the GNSS only can not provide a solution. Finally, the LEO only system seems to be a promising alternative to cope with GNSS jamming or spoofing. However, the optimal LEO parameters providing an accurate solution for all the location on the globe has not yet been identified. In conclusion, the result of this effort is the awareness that, once the optimal parameters for the LEO system have been found, it is a valid option to augment the GNSS, or even as a standalone backup, especially when the Doppler-based positioning is applied. Nevertheless, we are still far from that end and much more research needs to be done.

2020

Uncooperative Rendezvous in Space: Design of an Electronic Architecture for High Performance Avionic with Multi Sensor Input and Intensive Data Rate.

Michaël Yannick Juillard

Active Debris Removal missions consist of sending a satellite in space and removing one or more debris from their current orbit. A key challenge is to obtain information about the uncooperative target. By gathering the velocity, position, and rotation of the desired object, the satellite is able to plan its trajectory and define the sequence of approach. It requires the use of a variety of sensors with often a high data rate. For this task, a dedicated payload computer is envisioned with the responsibility of processing the information from the various rendezvous sensors. This component has the goal to provide meaningful information to the main satellite computer about the targeted debris. The focus of this work is on the data processing, the number of elements, and the electrical energy with constraints due to internal communication.First, an avionic testbench was built at the EPFL Space Center to assess early hardware and software architectures. The goal is to enable Hardware-In-the-Loop testing while developing the payload computer. A communication data bus has been implemented between the Platform and the Payload On-Board Computer. Emphasis was placed on the reliability of the high-level protocol and multiple concepts for improvement were analyzed.In a second phase, the testbench has been extended to support other data buses. The aim was to develop a reliable and efficient backup or fall-back data bus in case of failure in the main link. Four data buses have been tested with extensive analyses on their resilience to error and the efficiency of their data exchange.In parallel, extensive work has been performed to develop a simulation and optimization tool. Its goal is to support the design of payload avionic architectures for ADR missions by providing trade-offs and analyses. In the first iteration, a simulator has been created with instances of various high-level elements modeled.The second iteration introduced the additional dimension of optimization. It is trying to determine the best set of instruments and algorithms to use. With this capability, numerous analyses have been conducted on the influence of various parameters linked to the general optimizer behavior. It allows us to better understand the strength and limitations of the tool.The third step regarding the tool was to start its verification. The task has been to develop an Hardware-In-the-Loop architecture to compare its behavior with the results of the optimizer. The implementation of various mock-up algorithms enables the verification of their models in the tool. These analyses guarantee the feasibility of the outputted solution.The last part was dedicated to the creation and analysis of a realistic payload avionic architecture. The goal was to test the capability of the tool with hardware elements inspired by actual components. This work has shown the procedure to efficiently use the tool in the design phase of a mission.In conclusion, the work on the communication between the Payload and the Platform On-Board Computer has brought valuable lessons and experiences to the projects. They can now be used for the establishment of the high-level protocol into ClearSpace-1 flight software. In addition, the optimizer created allows tackling the design of complex payload avionic architecture where mass saving and processing resources are crucial. It is an essential point to develop a highly efficient payload computer for an Active Debris Removal satellite.

EPFL2022

Standalone GPS L1 C/A Receiver for Lunar Missions

Paul David Blunt, Cyril Botteron, Vincenzo Capuano, Pierre-André Farine, Jérôme Leclère, Jia Tian, Yanguang Wang

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) were originally introduced to provide positioning and timing services for terrestrial Earth users. However, space users increasingly rely on GNSS for spacecraft navigation and other science applications at several different altitudes from the Earth surface, in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), and feasibility studies have proved that GNSS signals can even be tracked at Moon altitude. Despite this, space remains a challenging operational environment, particularly on the way from the Earth to the Moon, characterized by weaker signals with wider gain variability, larger dynamic ranges resulting in higher Doppler and Doppler rates and critically low satellite signal availability. Following our previous studies, this paper describes the proof of concept “WeakHEO” receiver; a GPS L1 C/A receiver we developed in our laboratory specifically for lunar missions. The paper also assesses the performance of the receiver in two representative portions of an Earth Moon Transfer Orbit (MTO). The receiver was connected to our GNSS Spirent simulator in order to collect real-time hardware-in-the-loop observations, and then processed by the navigation module. This demonstrates the feasibility, using current technology, of effectively exploiting GNSS signals for navigation in a MTO.

Mdpi Ag2016