• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.52-52
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• 2007

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.37 no.5_1
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• pp.927-938
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• 2021

A similar magnitude of non-gravitational perturbations are act on the formation flying low earth orbit satellites with a certain time difference. Using this temporal correlation, the non-gravity acceleration of the low earth orbiting satellites can be transferred for the othersatellites. There is a period in which the accelerometer data of one satellite is unavailable for GRACE and GRACE-FO satellites. In this case, the accelerometer data transplant method described above is officially used to recover the accelerometer data at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). In this paper, we proposed a model for predicting accelerometer data of formation flying low earth orbit satellites using a neural network (NN) model to improve the estimation accuracy of the transplant method. Although the transplant method cannot reflect the satellite's position and space environmental factors, the NN model can use them as model inputs to increase the prediction accuracy. A prediction test of an accelerometer data using NN model was performed for one month, and the prediction accuracy was compared with the transplant method. The NN model outperformsthe transplant method with 55.0% and 40.1% error reduction in the along-track and radial directions, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 2005

NASA/DLR Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, which consists of two co-orbiting low altitude satellites, is to measure the Earth gravity field with unprecedented accuracy. Its key instruments include inter-satellite ranging systems and three-axis accelerometers. For the preliminary design and requirements analysis, extensive instrument simulation models are developed. These modeling techniques and orbit-gravity field estimation techniques are described.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2016

This study developed an approach for improving Carrier-phase Differential Global Positioning System (CDGPS) based realtime satellite relative navigation by applying laser baseline measurement data. The robustness against the space operational environment was considered, and a Synthetic Wavelength Interferometer (SWI) algorithm based on a femtosecond laser measurement model was developed. The phase differences between two laser wavelengths were combined to measure precise distance. Generated laser data were used to improve estimation accuracy for the float ambiguity of CDGPS data. Relative navigation simulations in real-time were performed using the extended Kalman filter algorithm. The GPS and laser-combined relative navigation accuracy was compared with GPS-only relative navigation solutions to determine the impact of laser data on relative navigation. In numerical simulations, the success rate of integer ambiguity resolution increased when laser data was added to GPS data. The relative navigational errors also improved five-fold and two-fold, relative to the GPS-only error, for 250 m and 5 km initial relative distances, respectively. The methodology developed in this study is suitable for application to future satellite formation-flying missions.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.393-398
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• 2008

This paper suggests a GPS/INS navigation computer architecture that can be applied to small satellites. In order to implement a GPS/INS navigation system on a small satellite, the extreme environment in space such as radiation, micro-gravity, vacuum, etc. must be considered. In addition, a real-time processing ability is required for the GPS/INS navigation system since the formation flying of multiple small satellites is the ultimate goal. The developed navigation electronics utilizes a PowerPC-type MPC860T that has space environment heritage, and a pair of Atmega128s that has been implemented in KAUSAT-2 and has completed the space environment verification tests. The navigation algorithm is designed to work in VxWorks environment, ported in MPC860T.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2018

Pc1 pulsations are geomagnetic fluctuations in the frequency range of 0.2 to 5 Hz. There have been several observations of Pc1 pulsations in low earth orbit by MAGSAT, DE-2, Viking, Freja, CHAMP, and SWARM satellites. However, there has been a clear limitation in resolving the spatial and temporal variations of the pulsation by using a single-point observation by a single satellite. To overcome such limitations of previous observations, a new space mission was recently initiated, using the concept of multi-satellites, named the Small scale magNetospheric and Ionospheric Plasma Experiments (SNIPE). The SNIPE mission consists of four nanosatellites (~10 kg), which will be launched into a polar orbit at an altitude of 600 km (TBD) in 2020. Four satellites will be deployed in orbit, and the distances between each satellite will be controlled from 10 to 1,000 km by a high-end formation-flying algorithm. One of the possible science targets of the SNIPE mission is observing electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves. In this paper, we report on examples of observations, showing the limitations of previous EMIC observations in low earth orbit, and suggest possibilities to overcome those limitations through a new mission.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.351-362
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• 2012

We made a study on real-time determination method for relative position using the laser-measured distance data between satellites. We numerically performed the determination of relative position in accordance with extended Kalman filter algorithm using the vectors obtained through nonlinear equation of relative motion, laser simulator for distance measurement, and attitude determination of chief satellite. Because the spherical parameters of relative distance and direction are used, there occur some changes in precision depending on changes in relative distance when determining the relative position. As a result of simulation, it was possible to determine the relative position with several millimeter-level errors at a distance of 10 km, and sub-millimeter level errors at a distance of 1 km. In addition, we performed the determination of relative position assuming the case that global positioning system data was not received for long hours to see the impact of determination of chief satellite orbit on the determination of relative position. The determination of precise relative position at a long distance carried out in this study can be used for scientific mission using the satellite formation flying.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.35.3-36
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• 2008

The ground-based spacecraft simulator is a useful tool to realize various space missions and satellite formation flying in the future. Also, the spacecraft simulator can be used to develop and verify new control laws required by modern spacecraft applications. In this research, therefore, Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulator which can be demonstrated the experimental validation of the theoretical results is designed and developed. The main components of the HIL simulator which we focused on are the thruster system to attitude control and automatic mass-balancing for elimination of gravity torques. To control the attitude of the spacecraft simulator, 8 thrusters which using the cold gas (N2) are aligned with roll, pitch and yaw axis. Also Linear actuators are applied to the HIL simulator for automatic mass balancing system to compensate for the center of mass offset from the center of rotation. Addition to the thruster control system and Linear actuators, the HIL simulator for spacecraft attitude control includes an embedded computer (Onboard PC) for simulator system control, Host PC for simulator health monitoring, command and post analysis, wireless adapter for wireless network, rate gyro sensor to measure 3-axis attitude of the simulator, inclinometer to measure horizontality and battery sets to independently supply power only for the simulator. Finally, we present some experimental results from the application of the controller on the spacecraft simulator.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.40.3-41
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• 2017

Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute The observation of particles and waves using a single satellite inherently suffers from space-time ambiguity. Recently, such ambiguity has often been resolved by multi-satellite observations; however, the inter-satellite distances were generally larger than 100 km. Hence, the ambiguity could be resolved only for large-scale (> 100 km) structures while numerous microscale phenomena have been observed at low altitude satellite orbits. In order to resolve those spatial and temporal variations of the microscale plasma structures on the topside ionosphere, SNIPE mission consisted of four (TBD) nanosatellites (~10 kg) will be launched into a polar orbit at an altitude of 700 km (TBD). Two pairs of satellites will be deployed on orbit and the distances between each satellite will be from 10 to 100 km controlled by a formation flying algorithm. The SNIPE mission is equipped with scientific payloads which can measure the following geophysical parameters: density/temperature of cold ionospheric electrons, energetic (~100 keV) electron flux, and magnetic field vectors. All the payloads will have high temporal resolution (~ 16 Hz (TBD)). This mission is planned to launch in 2020. The SNIPE mission aims to elucidate microscale (100 m-10 km) structures in the topside ionosphere (below altitude of 1,000 km), especially the fine-scale morphology of high-energy electron precipitation, cold plasma density/temperature, field-aligned currents, and electromagnetic waves. Hence, the mission will observe microscale structures of the following phenomena in geospace: high-latitude irregularities, such as polar-cap patches; field-aligned currents in the auroral oval; electro-magnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves; hundreds keV electrons' precipitations, such as electron microbursts; subauroral plasma density troughs; and low-latitude plasma irregularities, such as ionospheric blobs and bubbles. We have developed a 6U nanosatellite bus system as the basic platform for the SNIPE mission. Three basic plasma instruments shall be installed on all of each spacecraft, Particle Detector (PD), Langmuir Probe (LP), and Scientific MAGnetometer (SMAG). In addition we now discuss with NASA and JAXA to collaborate with the other payload opportunities into SNIPE mission.

• Journal of Space Technology and Applications
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.104-120
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• 2022

The Small Scale magNetospheric and Ionospheric Plasma Experiment (SNIPE)'s scientific goal is to observe spatial and temporal variations of the micro-scale plasma structures on the topside ionosphere. The four 6U CubeSats (~10 kg) will be launched into a polar orbit at ~500 km. The distances of each satellite will be controlled from 10 km to more than ~1,000 km by the formation flying algorithm. The SNIPE mission is equipped with identical scientific instruments, Solid-State Telescopes(SST), Magnetometers(Mag), and Langmuir Probes(LP). All the payloads have a high temporal resolution (sampling rates of about 10 Hz). Iridium communication modules provide an opportunity to upload emergency commands to change operational modes when geomagnetic storms occur. SNIPE's observations of the dimensions, occurrence rates, amplitudes, and spatiotemporal evolution of polar cap patches, field-aligned currents (FAC), radiation belt microbursts, and equatorial and mid-latitude plasma blobs and bubbles will determine their significance to the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere interaction and quantify their impact on space weather. The formation flying CubeSat constellation, the SNIPE mission, will be launched by Soyuz-2 at Baikonur Cosmodrome in 2023.