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Since the first CubeSat launch in 2003, the hardware and software complexity of the nanosatellites was continuosly increasing.
To keep up with the continuously increasing mission complexity and to retain the primary advantages of a CubeSat mission, a new approach for the overall space and ground software architecture and protocol configuration is elaborated in this work.
The aim of this thesis is to propose a uniform software and protocol architecture as a basis for software development, test, simulation and operation of multiple pico-/nanosatellites based on ultra-low power components.
In contrast to single-CubeSat missions, current and upcoming nanosatellite formation missions require faster and more straightforward development, pre-flight testing and calibration procedures as well as simultaneous operation of multiple satellites.
A dynamic and decentral Compass mission network was established in multiple active CubeSat missions, consisting of uniformly accessible nodes.
Compass middleware was elaborated to unify the communication and functional interfaces between all involved mission-related software and hardware components.
All systems can access each other via dynamic routes to perform service-based M2M communication.
With the proposed model-based communication approach, all states, abilities and functionalities of a system are accessed in a uniform way.
The Tiny scripting language was designed to allow dynamic code execution on ultra-low power components as a basis for constraint-based in-orbit scheduler and experiment execution.
The implemented Compass Operations front-end enables far-reaching monitoring and control capabilities of all ground and space systems.
Its integrated constraint-based operations task scheduler allows the recording of complex satellite operations, which are conducted automatically during the overpasses.
The outcome of this thesis became an enabling technology for UWE-3, UWE-4 and NetSat CubeSat missions.
Ongoing changes in spaceflight – continuing miniaturization, declining costs of rocket launches and satellite components, and improved satellite computing and control capabilities – are advancing Satellite Formation Flying (SFF) as a research and application area. SFF enables new applications that cannot be realized (or cannot be realized at a reasonable cost) with conventional single-satellite missions. In particular, distributed Earth observation applications such as photogrammetry and tomography or distributed space telescopes require precisely placed and controlled satellites in orbit.
Several enabling technologies are required for SFF, such as inter-satellite communication, precise attitude control, and in-orbit maneuverability. However, one of the most important requirements is a reliable distributed Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) strategy. This work addresses the issue of distributed GNC for SFF in 3D with a focus on Continuous Low-Thrust (CLT) propulsion satellites (e.g., with electric thrusters) and concentrates on circular low Earth orbits. However, the focus of this work is not only on control theory, but control is considered as part of the system engineering process of typical small satellite missions. Thus, common sensor and actuator systems are analyzed to derive their characteristics and their impacts on formation control. This serves as the basis for the design, implementation, and evaluation of the following control approaches: First, a Model Predictive Control (MPC) method with specific adaptations to SFF and its requirements and constraints; second, a distributed robust controller that combines consensus methods for distributed system control and $H_{\infty}$ robust control; and finally, a controller that uses plant inversion for control and combines it with a reference governor to steer the controller to the target on an optimal trajectory considering several constraints. The developed controllers are validated and compared based on extensive software simulations. Realistic 3D formation flight scenarios were taken from the Networked Pico-Satellite Distributed System Control (NetSat) cubesat formation flight mission. The three compared methods show different advantages and disadvantages in the different application scenarios. The distributed robust consensus-based controller for example lacks the ability to limit the maximum thrust, so it is not suitable for satellites with CLT. But both the MPC-based approach and the plant inversionbased controller are suitable for CLT SFF applications, while showing again distinct advantages and disadvantages in different scenarios.
The scientific contribution of this work may be summarized as the creation of novel and specific control approaches for the class of CLT SFF applications, which is still lacking methods withstanding the application in real space missions, as well as the scientific evaluation and comparison of the developed methods.
With the miniaturization of satellites a fundamental change took place in the space industry. Instead of single big monolithic satellites nowadays more and more systems are envisaged consisting of a number of small satellites to form cooperating systems in space. The lower costs for development and launch as well as the spatial distribution of these systems enable the implementation of new scientific missions and commercial services.
With this paradigm shift new challenges constantly emerge for satellite developers, particularly in the area of wireless communication systems and network protocols.
Satellites in low Earth orbits and ground stations form dynamic space-terrestrial networks. The characteristics of these networks differ fundamentally from those of other networks.
The resulting challenges with regard to communication system design, system analysis, packet forwarding, routing and medium access control as well as challenges concerning the reliability and efficiency of wireless communication links are addressed in this thesis.
The physical modeling of space-terrestrial networks is addressed by analyzing existing satellite systems and communication devices, by evaluating measurements and by implementing a simulator for space-terrestrial networks.
The resulting system and channel models were used as a basis for the prediction of the dynamic network topologies, link properties and channel interference. These predictions allowed for the implementation of efficient routing and medium access control schemes for space-terrestrial networks. Further, the implementation and utilization of software-defined ground stations is addressed, and a data upload scheme for the operation of small satellite formations is presented.
Dielektrische Elastomersensoren sind aus Elastomermaterialien aufgebaute Sensoren mit einem kapazitiven Messprinzip. In ihrer einfachsten Form bestehen sie aus einer dehnbaren Elastomerfolie als Dielektrikum, die beidseitig mit leitfähigen und ebenfalls dehnbaren Schichten als Elektroden bedeckt ist.
Damit entsteht ein mechanisch verformbarer elektrischer Kondensator, dessen Kapazität mit der Dehnung der Elastomerfolie stetig ansteigt. Neben solchen Dehnungssensoren lassen sich mit einem geeigneten geometrischen Aufbau auch dielektrische Elastomersensoren realisieren, bei denen eine elektrische Kapazität mit einem angelegten Druck bzw. einer Kraft auf die Oberfläche, mit einer Scherkraft oder mit der Annäherung eines elektrisch leitfähigen oder polarisierbaren Körpers wie z. B. der menschlichen Hand messbar ansteigt.
Durch ihre vielfältige Funktion, intrinsische Verformbarkeit und flächige Ausgestaltung weisen Dielektrische Elastomersensoren erhebliches Potential in der Schaffung smarter, sensitiver Oberflächen auf. Dabei sind weitgehende und individuelle Adaptionen auf den jeweiligen Anwendungszweck durch Abstimmung geometrischer, mechanischer und elektrischer Eigenschaften möglich. Die bisherige Forschung beschränkt sich jedoch auf die Analyse und Optimierung einzelner Aspekte ohne das Potential einer übergreifenden systemischen Perspektive zu nutzen.
Diese Arbeit widmet sich daher der Betrachtung der Sensorik als Gesamtsystem, sowohl horizontal - von abstrakten Modellen bis zur Fertigung und prototypischen Anwendung - als auch vertikal über die Komponenten Material, Struktur und Elektronik.
Hierbei wurden in mehreren Teilgebieten eigenständige neue Erkenntnisse und Verbesserungen erzielt, die anschließend in die übergreifende Betrachtung des Gesamtsystems integriert wurden. So wurden in den theoretischen Vorarbeiten neue Konzepte zur ortsaufgelösten Erfassung mehrerer physikalischer Größen und zur elektrischen und mechanischen Modellierung entwickelt. Die abgeleiteten Materialanforderungen wurden in eine tiefgehende Charakterisierung der verwendeten Elastomer-Kompositwerkstoffe überführt, in der neuartige analytische Methoden in Form von dynamischer elektromechanischer Testung und nanoskaliger Computertomographie zur Aufklärung der inneren Wechselwirkungen zum Einsatz kamen.
Im Bereich der automatisierten Prozessierung wurde ein für die komplexen mehrschichtigen Elektrodenstrukturen geeigneter neuer lasergestützer substraktiver Fertigungprozess etabliert, der zudem die Brücke zu elastischer Elektronik schlägt.
In der abschließenden Anwendungsevaluierung wurden mehrere ortsaufgelöste und multimodale Gesamtsysteme aufgebaut und geeignete Messelektronik und Software entwickelt. Abschließend wurden die Systeme mit einem eigens entwickelten robotischen Testsystem charakterisiert und zudem das Potential der Auswertung mittels maschinellem Lernen aufgezeigt.