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Rotation state estimation of slow-rotating multi-reflector defunct spacecraft through laser ranging measurements from a single short arc

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Abstract

The satellite laser ranging (SLR) echo signals of the multi-reflector defunct spacecraft contain multiple distance information corresponding to the corner cube reflectors (CCRs) in different installation positions. The relative distances between different CCRs and their variations depend on the rotation state of the object. However, the rotation of many defunct spacecraft is relatively slow over a short observation time span. In this case, estimating the effective rotation state is still difficult due to the limited amount of information. In this paper, a slow-rotating multi-reflector defunct spacecraft CZ-2C R/B (NORAD ID 31114) is taken as an example to develop a new method to estimate the rotation state through laser ranging measurements from a single short arc. The reference vector method is used in new attitude representation. The reduced expressions between the relative distances, their first derivative and rotation state are derived. Through the state estimation method combining grid search and differential corrections, the reduced parameters are estimated efficiently and accurately. In addition, the consistent orientation of maximum principal axis of inertia of CZ-2C R/B are obtained, which provides effective information for the subsequent research.

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Funding

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12073083 and 11533010) and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association, CAS (Grant No. 2018353).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Chen Song, Hou-Yuan Lin & Chang-Yin Zhao

  2. School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China

    Chen Song

  3. Key Laboratory of Space Object and Debris Observation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Chen Song, Hou-Yuan Lin & Chang-Yin Zhao

  4. Changchun Observatory of National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130117, China

    Zhi-Peng Liang

  5. Unmanned System Research Institute, Northwest Polytechnical University, Xi’an, 710072, China

    Hua-Peng Dong

  6. Beijing Institute of Astronautical Systems Engineering, Beijing, 100076, China

    Hua-Peng Dong

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  1. Chen Song
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  2. Zhi-Peng Liang
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  3. Hou-Yuan Lin
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Correspondence to Hou-Yuan Lin.

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The data that support the plots within this paper and other findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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This article is part of the topical collection on Dynamics of Space Debris and NEO.

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Song, C., Liang, ZP., Lin, HY. et al. Rotation state estimation of slow-rotating multi-reflector defunct spacecraft through laser ranging measurements from a single short arc. Celest Mech Dyn Astron 134, 30 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-022-10083-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-022-10083-7

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