• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.157-164
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• 2021

We describe a method for the in-orbit calibration of body-mounted magnetometers based on the CHAOS-7 geomagnetic field model. The code is designed to find the true calibration parameters autonomously by using only the onboard magnetometer data and the corresponding CHAOS outputs. As the model output and satellite data have different coordinate systems, they are first transformed to a Star Tracker Coordinate (STC). Then, non-linear optimization processes are run to minimize the differences between the CHAOS-7 model and satellite data in the STC. The process finally searches out a suite of calibration parameters that can maximize the model-data agreement. These parameters include the instrument gain, offset, axis orthogonality, and Euler rotation matrices between the magnetometer frame and the STC. To validate the performance of the Python code, we first produce pseudo satellite data by convoluting CHAOS-7 model outputs with a prescribed set of the 'true' calibration parameters. Then, we let the code autonomously undistort the pseudo satellite data through optimization processes, which ultimately track down the initially prescribed calibration parameters. The reconstructed parameters are in good agreement with the prescribed (true) ones, which demonstrates that the code can be used for actual instrument data calibration. This study is performed using Python 3.8.5, NumPy 1.19.2, SciPy 1.6, AstroPy 4.2, SpacePy 0.2.1, and ChaosmagPy 0.5 including the CHAOS-7.6 geomagnetic field model. This code will be utilized for processing NextSat-1 and Small scale magNetospheric and Ionospheric Plasma Experiment (SNIPE) data in the future.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.283-292
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• 2005

Ionosphere is deeply coupled to the space environment and introduces the perturbations to radio signal because of its electromagnetic characteristics. Therefore, the status of ionosphere can be estimated by analyzing the GPS signal errors which are penetrating the ionosphere and it can be the key to understand the global circulation and change in the upper atmosphere, and the characteristics of space weather. We used 9 GPS Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS), which have been operated by Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) , to determine the high precision of Total Electron Content (TEC) and the pseudorange data which is phase-leveled by a linear combination with carrier phase to reduce the inherent noise. We developed the method to model a regional ionosphere with grid form and its results over South Korea with $0.25^{\circ}\;by\;0.25^{\circ}$ spatial resolution. To improve the precision of ionosphere's TEC value, we applied IDW (Inverse Distance Weight) and Kalman Filtering method. The regional ionospheric model developed by this research was compared with GIMs (Global Ionosphere Maps) preduced by Ionosphere Working Group for 8 days and the results show $3\~4$ TECU difference in RMS values.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.693-700
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• 2009

For real-time precise GPS data processing such as a long baseline network RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) survey, PPP (Precise Point Positioning) and monitoring of ionospheric/tropospheric delays, it is necessary to guarantee accuracy comparable to IGS (International GNSS Service) precise orbit with no latency. As a preliminary study for determining near real-time satellite orbits, the general procedures of satellite orbit determination, especially the dynamic approach, were studied. In addition, the transformation between terrestrial and inertial reference frames was tested to integrate acceleration. The IAU 1976/1980 precession/nutation model showed a consistency of 0.05 mas with IAU 2000A model. Since the IAU 2000A model has a large number of nutation components, it took more time to compute the transformation matrix. The classical method with IAU 2000A model was two times faster than the NRO (non-rotating origin) approach, while there is no practical difference between two transformation matrices.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.313-316
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• 2008

Although the positioning accuracy of the Global Positioning System (GPS) has been studied extensively and used widely, it is still limited due to errors from sources such as the ionospheric effect, orbital uncertainty, antenna phase center variation, signal multipath and tropospheric influence. This investigation addresses the tropospheric effect on GPS height determination. Data obtained from GPS receivers and co-located surface meteorological instruments in 2003 are adopted in this study. The Ministry of the Interior (MOl), Taiwan, established these GPS receivers as continuous operating reference stations. Two different approaches, parameter estimation and external correction, are utilized to correct the zenith tropospheric delay (ZTD) by applying the surface meteorological measurements (SMM) data. Yet, incorrect pressure measurement leads to very poor accuracy. The GPS height can be affected by a few meters, and the root-mean-square (rms) of the daily solution ranges from a few millimeters to centimeters, no matter what the approach adopted. The effect is least obvious when using SMM data for the parameter estimation approach, but the constant corrections of the GPS height occur more often at higher altitudes. As for the external correction approach, the Saastamoinen model with SMM data makes the repeatability of the GPS height maintained at few centimeters, while the rms of the daily solution displays an improvement of about 2-3 mm.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.59-66
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• 2005

A new ion transport code for planetary ionospheric studies has been developed with consideration of velocity differences among ion species involving ion-ion collision. Most of previous planetary ionosphere models assumed that ions diffuse through non-moving ion and neutral background in order to consolidate continuity and momentum equations for ions into a simple set of diffusion equations. The simplification may result in unreliable density profiles of ions at high altitudes where ion velocities are fast and their velocity differences are significant enough to cause inaccuracy when computing ion-ion collision. A new code solves explicitly one-dimensional continuity and momentum equations for ion densities and velocities by utilizing divided Jacobian matrices in matrix inversion necessary to the Newton iteration procedure. The code has been applied to Martian nightside ionosphere models, as an example computation. The computed density profiles of $O^+,\;OH^+$, and $HCO^+$ differ by more than a factor of 2 at altitudes higher than 200 km from a simple diffusion model, whereas the density profile of the dominant ion, $O_2^+$, changes little. Especially, the density profile of $HCO^+$ is reduced by a factor of about 10 and its peak altitude is lowered by about 40 km relative to a simple diffusion model in which $HCO^+$ ions are assumed to diffuse through non-moving ion background, $O_2^+$. The computed effects of the new code on the Martian nightside models are explained readily in terms of ion velocities that were solved together with ion densities, which were not available from diffusion models. The new code should thus be expected as a significantly improved tool for planetary ionosphere modelling.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2012

Thermal analysis and control design are prerequisite essential to design the satellite. In the space environment, it makes satellite survive from extreme hot and cold conditions. In recent years CubeSat mission is developed for many kinds of purpose. Triplet Ionospheric Observatory (TRIO)-CubeSat for Ion, Neutral, Electron, MAgnetic fields (CINEMA) is required to weigh less than 3 kg and operate on minimal 3 W power. In this paper we describe the thermal analysis and control design for TRIO-CINEMA mission. For this thermal analysis, we made a thermal model of the CubeSat with finite element method and NX6.0 TMG software is used to simulate this analysis model. Based on this result, passive thermal control method has been applied to thermal design of CINEMA. In order to get the better conduction between solar panel and chassis, we choose aluminum 6061-T6 for the material property of standoff. We can increase the average temperature of top and bottom solar panels from $-70^{\circ}C$ to $-40^{\circ}C $ and decrease the average temperature of the magnetometer from $+93^{\circ}C$ to $-4^{\circ}C$ using black paint on the surface of the chassis, inside of top & bottom solar panels, and magnetometer.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.237-244
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• 2006

We produced the electron density distribution in the ionosphere over South Korea using the data from nine permanent GPS (Global Positioning System) stations which have been operated by KASI (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute). The dual-frequency GPS receiver data was used to precisely estimate the electron density in the ionosphere and we obtained the precise electron density profile based on two-dimensional TEC (Total Electron Contents). We applied ART (Algebraic Reconstruction Technique), which is one of the most commonly used algorithms to develop the tomography model. This paper presented the electron density distribution over South Korea with time. We compared with the electron density profiles derived from the GPS tomography reconstruction, Ionosonde measurement data obtained by observations, and the IRI-2001 values. As a result, the electron density profile by GPS reconstruction was in excellent agreement with the electron density profile obtained by Ionosonde measurement data.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.105-115
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• 2020

The Korean Institute of Technology Satellite (KITSAT-1) is the first satellite developed by the Satellite Technology Research Center and the University of Surrey. KITSAT-1 is orbiting the Earth's orbit as space debris with a 1,320 km altitude after the planned mission. Due to its relatively small size and altitude, tracking the KITSAT-1 was a difficult task. In this research, we analyzed the tracking results of KITSAT-1 for one year using the Midland Space Radar (MSR) in Texas and the Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar (PFISR) in Alaska operated by LeoLabs, Inc. The tracking results were analyzed on a weekly basis for MSR and PFISR. The observation was conducted by using both stations at an average frequency of 10 times per week. The overall corrected range measurements for MSR and PFISR by LeoLabs were under 50 m and 25 m, respectively. The ionospheric delay, the dominant error source, was confirmed with the International Reference of Ionosphere-16 model and Global Navigation Satellite System data. The weekly basis orbit determination results were compared with two-line element data. The comparison results were used to confirm the orbital consistency of the estimated orbits.

• Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2014

Precise Point Positioning (PPP) algorithms using GPS code pseudo-range measurements were developed and their accuracy was validated for the purpose of implementing them on a portable device. The group delay, relativistic effect, and satellite-antenna phase center offset models were applied as fundamental corrections for PPP. GPS satellite orbit and clock offsets were taken from the International GNSS Service official products which were interpolated using the best available algorithms. Tropospheric and ionospheric delays were obtained by applying mapping functions to the outputs from scientific GPS data processing software and Global Ionosphere Maps, respectively. When the developed algorithms were tested for four days of data, the horizontal and vertical positioning accuracies were 0.8-1.6 and 1.6-2.2 meters, respectively. This level of performance is comparable to that of Differential GPS, and further improvements and fine-tuning of this suite of PPP algorithms and its implementation at a portable device should be utilized in a variety of surveying and Location-Based Service applications.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.343-352
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• 2017

A space plasma facility has been operated with a back-diffusion-type plasma source installed in a mid-sized vacuum chamber with a diameter of ~1.5 m located in Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). To generate plasma with a temperature and density similar to the ionospheric plasma, nickel wires coated with carbonate solution were used as filaments that emit thermal electrons, and the accelerated thermal electrons emitted from the heated wires collide with the neutral gas to form plasma inside the chamber. By using a disk-type Langmuir probe installed inside the vacuum chamber, the generation of plasma similar to the space environment was validated. The characteristics of the plasma according to the grid and plate anode voltages were investigated. The grid voltage of the plasma source is realized as a suitable parameter for manipulating the electron density, while the plate voltage is suitable for adjusting the electron temperature. A simple physical model based on the collision cross-section of electron impact on nitrogen molecule was established to explain the plasma generation mechanism.