Autonomous navigation during the final ascent of a spacecraft into the geostationary orbit. II. Simulation of operation of an integrated autonomous SC navigation and control system

Abstract

This study continues the series of papers devoted to the approach to solving the problem of autonomous navigation of a spacecraft (SC) in a geostationary orbit at all stages of its lifecycle: final ascent, transfer to the operating longitude, remaining at the operating longitude, removal from the orbit, and burial. In [1], we formulated the concept of autonomous navigation of a spacecraft at the stage of its final ascent to a geostationary orbit. This stage is most complicated from the technical point of view, taking into account the nonlinearity of the applied mathematical models, the influence of uncontrollable factors of various physical nature, and the necessity of the application of promising hardware (electric low-thrust engine, onboard receiver of signals from global navigation satellite systems, intersatellite communication channels, etc.). Taking this into account, the only constructive method for proving the viability and efficiency (taking into account the requirements formulated by the customer who placed the order) of the developed concept of the autonomous navigation at the final ascent stage in the mathematical simulation of this process. The subject of this study is to demonstrate the capabilities of the developed concept of autonomous navigation from the point of view of achieving the required level of reliability and accuracy in solving the navigation problem at the final ascent stage. This demonstration is based on the analysis of the results of imitating the simulation of the process of a spacecraft’s final ascent to a geostationary orbit obtained using the specially developed software complex.