Fiber Optic Gyro-Based Attitude Determination for High-Performance Target Tracking

Small satellite-enabled terrestrial target tracking applications from low-Earth orbit are demanding stringent pointing performance, prompting the need for developing high-precision attitude estimation and control systems that adhere to cost and mass constraints. The attitude determination and control system onboard the Space Flight Laboratory’s NEMO-class satellite platforms uses an extended Kalman filter and low-cadence (1Hz) star-tracker measurements to constrain the attitude and rate estimation errors to within 0.05° and 0.04°/s (2-σ), respectively. In addition, the pointing error of this satellite platform is constrained to below 0.3° (2-σ) for ground target tracking applications. However, in order to meet the stability requirements of future missions that require precise target-tracking capabilities, a combination of star tracker and high frequency gyro-measurements is preferred. Leveraging high-grade miniaturized and commercially-accessible fiber optic gyroscopes (FOGs) with sampling frequencies of ≥ 2Hz, a high-performance attitude determination and control system suitable for target tracking micro- and nano-satellites is under development at the Space Flight Laboratory of Toronto, Canada. This paper discusses the design of an attitude estimation filter tailored to constrain the ground target pointing error of NEMO-class satellites to well below 0.3° (3-σ). To evaluate the performance of this filter, precision target tracking simulations were conducted, and the results demonstrated significant improvement in some state estimates when a combination of three-orthogonally mounted FOGs operating at high cadence (5Hz) and a single star tracker operating at 1Hz were implemented

Guidance, Navigation, and Control for Agile Small Spacecraft with Articulating Solar Arrays

Payload operations for small satellites are often impacted by the need to allocate time for modifying the attitude to perform power generation or orbit maneuvering. A typical small satellite design would consist of a single rigid body with body-mounted solar cells, making the power generation subject to the spacecraft’s attitude. Often to achieve the high power generation that is required to enable the payload function, the attitude must be specifically set to maximize the solar cell area facing the Sun, which typically means diverting it from an attitude that is useful for payload operations for some period of time. At the scale of modern global constellations, these downtimes in the payload operation schedule can greatly reduce the overall capability of the system. By including deployable, articulating solar arrays in the design of small spacecraft, array pointing can be decoupled from the mainpayload pointing operations. With these pieces decoupled, payload operations can proceed uninterrupted while the articulating arrays ensure sufficient power generation. In this paper, the dynamic equations of the multibody system are derived, and guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) considerations are presented for achieving decoupled attitude and articulation objectives. Results from simulation of a sample mission show that agile target tracking attitude maneuvers can be performed together with array solar tracking with negligible impact on overall payload pointing performance

Performance Analysis and Electromagnetic Compatibility of a Novel Wideband Radio Frequency Remote Sensing Payload

The increase in scale, complexity, and sensitivity of small satellite radio frequency payloads presents challenges in spacecraft level environmental performance testing. The Space Flight Laboratory is developing a novel wideband radio frequency payload for use on multiple satellites as part of a distributed remote sensing system. Qualification of this payload at the spacecraft level is complicated by the range of frequencies requiring analysis, the variety of received signal types, and having to qualify the payload on multiple satellites with differing configurations. This paper presents the system level radio frequency performance testing framework developed to efficiently qualify this new payload consistently in different bus configurations. The goals of this framework were to reliably determine payload receiver performance with frequencies ranging from VHF to X-band, evaluate the impacts of electromagnetic interference, and automate the electromagnetic compatibility and performance test processes such that they could be efficiently run on multiple satellites. Ultimately, this framework has yielded the ability to characterize the performance of a complex wideband radio frequency payload, and efficiently scale that characterization to a fleet of spacecraft

GHGSat Constellation: The Future of Monitoring Greenhouse Gas Emissions

As the effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) and issues resulting from air quality (AQG) become more prevalent, there is increasing motivation for industrial operators to quantify and ultimately reduce their emission footprint. GHGSat Inc., utilizing novel satellite technology developed in partnership with the Space Flight Laboratory, intends to become the global leader of remote sensing of GHG, AQG, and other trace gas emissions. Phase one: GHGSat-D (Claire) launched in June 2016, becoming the first microsatellite with a high-resolution instrument designed to measure greenhouse gas emissions from point sources. With over 3000 site measurements made worldwide, GHGSat-D has proven how effective satellite technology is paving the way forward for a worldwide monitoring initiative: GHGSat Constellation. Phase two: GHGSat-C1 and GHGSat-C2 are in development as first in a fully operational constellation allowing continued enhancement of the satellite design. These enhancements include hardware redundancy and improved electromagnetic compatibility to increase performance and reliability, upgrades to the primary optical payload to reduce the effects of stray light, allow for onboard calibration and improved radiation mitigation, and an optical downlink to increase the downlink capacity of the platform. GHGSat-C1 is scheduled for launch in Q3 2019 with GHGSat-C2 following in 2020

Flight Results of the Attitude Determination and Control System for the NEMO-HD Earth Observation Microsatellite

NEMO-HD is an Earth observation microsatellite designed and built at the Space Flight Laboratory at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (SFL) in collaboration with the Slovenian Centre of Excellence for Space Sciences and Technologies (SPACE-SI) who owns and operates the spacecraft. The mission was launched successfully into a circular Sun-synchronous orbit with 10:30 LTDN at an altitude of 535 km, aboard the VEGA VV16 mission from French Guiana on September 2, 2020. The primary payload is an optical imager, providing still imagery on its panchromatic (PAN) channel with 2.8 m ground sample distance (GSD), 5.6 m GSD on its four multi-spectral channels (R,G,B,NIR), and high definition video with 1920x1080 resolution. To achieve the precise pointing and stability requirements required for high quality optical imagery, the spacecraft is three-axis stabilized using reaction wheels for attitude control, and dual star trackers for attitude determination. The spacecraft has three targeting modes for imaging: inertial pointing, nadir-pointing, and ground target tracking; the exact mode selection depends upon the type of imagery desired. In this paper we discuss spacecraft attitude determination and control system design, and present the detailed attitude determination and control system pointing performance results for the mission in each of the primary operational modes, using one of the two star trackers as the “true” reference attitude

NorSat-3 – Next Generation Norwegian Maritime Surveillance

The NorSat-3 mission, with expected launch Q2/Q3 2020, aims to enhance the Norwegian recognized maritime picture with an experimental ship navigational radar detector (NRD) in addition to an AIS receiver. The NRD aims to geolocate ship navigation radars within 10 km circular error probable and verify AIS positions. The 10º NRD antenna field of view will nominally be pointed towards the horizon in order to maximize the area coverage and view of the ships’ navigation radar main lobe. Operating in a near polar low earth orbit the Norwegian area of interest may be covered between 10 and 15 times per day if pointing the antenna suitably. Achieving the desired geolocation accuracy and area coverage, while minimizing polarization loss, requires a highly capable attitude determination and control system. The signal processing capabilities of the Zynq Ultrascale+ system-on-chip enables the radar signal processing in orbit, although also requiring a large platform power generation capability. The mission, payloads and platform are described in this paper, including some of the lessons learned. All flight subsystems and payloads have completed their relevant unit environmental tests, including proton irradiation of NRD electronics. Final system verification and environmental testing begins August 2019, with a target flight readiness review November 2019

Standard survey methods for estimating colony losses and explanatory risk factors in Apis mellifera

This chapter addresses survey methodology and questionnaire design for the collection of data pertaining to estimation of honey bee colony loss rates and identification of risk factors for colony loss. Sources of error in surveys are described. Advantages and disadvantages of different random and non-random sampling strategies and different modes of data collection are presented to enable the researcher to make an informed choice. We discuss survey and questionnaire methodology in some detail, for the purpose of raising awareness of issues to be considered during the survey design stage in order to minimise error and bias in the results. Aspects of survey design are illustrated using surveys in Scotland. Part of a standardized questionnaire is given as a further example, developed by the COLOSS working group for Monitoring and Diagnosis. Approaches to data analysis are described, focussing on estimation of loss rates. Dutch monitoring data from 2012 were used for an example of a statistical analysis with the public domain R software. We demonstrate the estimation of the overall proportion of losses and corresponding confidence interval using a quasi-binomial model to account for extra-binomial variation. We also illustrate generalized linear model fitting when incorporating a single risk factor, and derivation of relevant confidence intervals

Effects of air pollution and the introduction of the London Low Emission Zone on the prevalence of respiratory and allergic symptoms in schoolchildren in East London: a sequential cross-sectional study

The adverse effects of traffic-related air pollution on children’s respiratory health have been widely reported, but few studies have evaluated the impact of traffic-control policies designed to reduce urban air pollution. We assessed associations between traffic-related air pollutants and respiratory/allergic symptoms amongst 8–9 year-old schoolchildren living within the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ). Information on respiratory/allergic symptoms was obtained using a parent-completed questionnaire and linked to modelled annual air pollutant concentrations based on the residential address of each child, using a multivariable mixed effects logistic regression analysis. Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants was associated with current rhinitis: NOx (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.02), NO2 (1.03, 1.00–1.06), PM10 (1.16, 1.04–1.28) and PM2.5 (1.38, 1.08–1.78), all per μg/m3 of pollutant, but not with other respiratory/allergic symptoms. The LEZ did not reduce ambient air pollution levels, or affect the prevalence of respiratory/allergic symptoms over the period studied. These data confirm the previous association between traffic-related air pollutant exposures and symptoms of current rhinitis. Importantly, the London LEZ has not significantly improved air quality within the city, or the respiratory health of the resident population in its first three years of operation. This highlights the need for more robust measures to reduce traffic emissions

The unexpected resurgence of Weyl geometry in late 20-th century physics

Weyl's original scale geometry of 1918 ("purely infinitesimal geometry") was withdrawn by its author from physical theorizing in the early 1920s. It had a comeback in the last third of the 20th century in different contexts: scalar tensor theories of gravity, foundations of gravity, foundations of quantum mechanics, elementary particle physics, and cosmology. It seems that Weyl geometry continues to offer an open research potential for the foundations of physics even after the turn to the new millennium.Comment: Completely rewritten conference paper 'Beyond Einstein', Mainz Sep 2008. Preprint ELHC (Epistemology of the LHC) 2017-02, 92 pages, 1 figur

Enhancing wind erosion monitoring and assessment for U.S. rangelands

Wind erosion is a major resource concern for rangeland managers because it can impact soil health, ecosystem structure and function, hydrologic processes, agricultural production, and air quality. Despite its significance, little is known about which landscapes are eroding, by how much, and when. The National Wind Erosion Research Network was established in 2014 to develop tools for monitoring and assessing wind erosion and dust emissions across the United States. The Network, currently consisting of 13 sites, creates opportunities to enhance existing rangeland soil, vegetation, and air quality monitoring programs. Decision-support tools developed by the Network will improve the prediction and management of wind erosion across rangeland ecosystems. © 2017 The Author(s)The Rangelands archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information