Inter-satellite data transmission system for formation flying satellite systems

Abstract

The application provides an intersatellite data transmission system of a formation satellite system, and establishes an intersatellite payload data transmission and data management system of multiple remote sensing satellites and service satellites for intersatellite data transmission of the formation satellite system, receives, concentrates and processes payload data of each remote sensing satellite in the service satellite; an azimuth wide beam and a pitch narrow beam antenna are adopted to expand coverage on the same orbit height and large azimuth angle distributed formation satellites; a double antenna scheme is adopted to realize time-sharing coverage on remote sensing satellites in front and back of the flight direction according to the relative spatial relationship with the remote sensing satellites; an antenna mounting interface and an integrated whole satellite structure processing scheme are adopted to ensure the antenna mounting precision; and an optical reference measurement scheme is adopted to obtain the relationship of the antenna beam in the optical reference, which is used for calibrating the relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of spacecraft, and more specifically, to an inter-satellite data transmission system for a formation satellite system. Background Technology

[0002] By utilizing multiple satellites to form a mission as a whole, a satellite formation system is created. Each satellite carries different types of payloads or distributed payloads, and they work together to undertake tasks such as space exploration and imaging. This enables multi-method remote sensing or synthetic aperture remote sensing, improves detection efficiency, and constitutes a large-scale virtual sensor or detector that meets mission requirements.

[0003] A satellite constellation system for Earth observation missions typically includes remote sensing satellites and service satellites. Remote sensing satellites perform individual remote sensing missions in orbit, while service satellites can perform individual remote sensing missions or constellation-level missions. They can receive payload data from remote sensing satellites through inter-satellite data transmission links, perform comprehensive data processing, obtain higher-level remote sensing information, and form integrated detection and remote sensing information.

[0004] To meet the needs of inter-satellite data transmission for remote sensing satellite payloads used in satellite formation systems, and to address the requirements of adapting to multi-satellite inter-satellite transmission, reducing on-satellite resource consumption, and improving inter-satellite data transmission efficiency, an inter-satellite data transmission system adapted to multi-satellite transmission was designed. This system features support for time-division link establishment among multiple satellites, small system size, wide coverage, no attitude maneuvering required, and flexible data management.

[0005] Currently, there are many inter-satellite communication link design schemes both domestically and internationally, such as "An omnidirectional inter-satellite communication link based on a two-satellite orbiting formation", "A multi-route inter-satellite communication link based on a cluster formation", "An inter-satellite networking communication method suitable for small satellite clusters", "An inter-satellite link communication method for low-Earth orbit satellite constellations", "Design method for a small satellite formation inter-satellite communication system based on Petri nets", and "Inter-satellite telemetry and control system and method for satellite mobile communication constellations", etc., and patents such as "A brief analysis of inter-satellite links for low-Earth orbit communication constellations" (11-5294 / TN). The literature includes documents such as "A Review of Research on Inter-Satellite Communication Networking Technology for Distributed Space Systems" (61-1420 / TN), "Prospect of Inter-Satellite Communication Link Technology between High-Orbit Maritime Satellites and Low-Orbit Remote Sensing Satellites" (12-1369 / TN), "Inter-Satellite Link Design for Low-Orbit Satellite Mobile Communication Systems" (13-1099 / TN), "Space-Based Inter-Satellite Link Measurement and Control Scheme for Global Satellite Mobile Communication Constellations" (11-1859 / V), and "Inter-Satellite Communication of Space Formation Flight Constellations" (13-1099 / TN), which involve inter-satellite data transmission.

[0006] "An omnidirectional inter-satellite communication link based on a two-satellite orbiting formation" (Publication No. CN108964740A) employs an omnidirectional inter-satellite communication antenna array. Two antenna patterns pointing in opposite directions form an omnidirectional coverage antenna array pattern, solving the problem of inability to achieve omnidirectional communication due to the interference zone in traditional omnidirectional array antennas. This invention is applicable to low-speed inter-satellite communication. However, this invention has a low inter-satellite data transmission rate, suitable for inter-satellite command and control information transmission, but cannot meet the application requirements of high-speed remote sensing data transmission between multi-satellite formations.

[0007] "A Multi-Route Inter-Satellite Communication Link Based on Cluster Formation" (Publication No. CN108847881A) employs a multi-route inter-satellite communication link suitable for cluster formation, using a dedicated communication antenna for omnidirectional signal transmission and reception. It directly or indirectly exchanges inter-satellite information among all satellites in the cluster through queue-based multi-route communication technology. It uses dynamic forwarding delay optimization technology to minimize the forwarding delay of important data and employs multi-path information optimization technology. This solves the problems of traditional inter-satellite communication schemes, such as a small number of access terminals, heavy reliance on antenna visibility performance, and long forwarding delays. It is suitable for inter-satellite command and control information transmission but cannot meet the application requirements of high-speed inter-satellite remote sensing data transmission in multi-satellite formations.

[0008] The invention, "An Inter-Satellite Link Communication Method for a Low-Earth Orbit Satellite Constellation" (Publication No. CN106254019A), employs a TDD communication mode for the inter-satellite link. All satellites within the constellation have strictly synchronized transmit and receive time slots. During the transmit time slot, all satellites in the constellation simultaneously send signals to the satellite establishing the inter-satellite link; during the receive time slot, all satellites in the constellation synchronously receive signals. Compared to the traditional TDD mode, this invention has a simpler synchronization mechanism and timing requirements, higher real-time performance, and lower spectrum resource consumption, thus improving the efficiency of inter-satellite data transmission. It is suitable for information transmission applications such as low-speed command and control, but it cannot meet the application requirements of high-speed remote sensing data transmission between multiple satellite constellations.

[0009] The invention, "Design Method for Inter-Satellite Communication System of Small Satellite Formation Based on Petri Nets" (Publication No. CN102004827A), uses Petri nets to model the inter-satellite communication system of small satellite formations, builds a simulation platform for the system, and divides the system design into four stages: task proposal and analysis, task decomposition and design, model or subsystem design, integration simulation verification, and result evaluation. This invention can incorporate the subsystem models and simulation software required for the task into the design and simulation process, thereby effectively improving design efficiency and the confidence level of simulation results. This invention does not involve specific communication link implementation details.

[0010] The invention, titled "An Inter-Satellite Networking Communication Method for Small Satellite Clusters" (Publication No. CN103415083A), proposes a networking communication method for small satellite clusters. This method allows each node in the cluster to join the communication network initiated by the central node designated by the ground station through a networking control channel, thus making communication between nodes orderly and facilitating the management and control of the small satellite cluster. The key aspects of this invention lie in the networking communication node management method, but it does not mention the specific implementation of the communication link or how to achieve high-speed data transmission between multiple satellites in a network.

[0011] The patent application "Inter-satellite Telemetry and Control System and Method for Satellite Mobile Communication Constellations" (Publication No. CN103178895A) discloses an inter-satellite telemetry and control system for satellite mobile communication constellations. This system includes three GEO satellites and three corresponding ground control stations. The three GEO satellites include one master GEO satellite and two slave GEO satellites, all used for telemetry and control of LEO satellites within the field of view. This invention solves the problem that ground control networks alone cannot provide real-time, effective, and reliable telemetry and control for low-Earth orbit satellite mobile communication constellations. It provides better long-term real-time link availability and higher link reliability. However, this invention is suitable for inter-satellite command and control information transmission, but its low transmission rate makes it unsuitable for applications requiring high-speed remote sensing data transmission between multiple satellite constellations.

[0012] "A Design for Long-Distance Inter-Satellite Link Communication" (Domestic Publication No. 11-4762 / TP) This design employs methods such as tilting the inter-satellite transmitting and receiving antennas on the satellite according to the adjustment angle calculated by the antenna beam pointing, using narrow-beam, high-gain inter-satellite transmitting and receiving antennas, and using convolutional coding as the channel coding method. This inter-satellite communication link design is suitable for long-distance inter-satellite link communication and can provide a design reference for long-distance inter-satellite communication between small satellite formations and other low-Earth orbit spacecraft. However, this scheme requires antenna pointing or relies on satellite attitude maneuvering for antenna pointing, which cannot meet the application requirements of high-speed and efficient transmission of remote sensing data between multi-satellite formations.

[0013] All of the above-mentioned inter-satellite communication links are low-speed inter-satellite links; or they use omnidirectional coverage antennas to achieve full airspace pattern coverage; or they use directional antennas to complete data transmission under specific satellite configurations or spatial relationships; none of them meet the requirements for high-speed data transmission and integrated processing between multiple satellites in a formation satellite system.

[0014] Therefore, a new technical solution is needed to improve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0015] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide an inter-satellite data transmission system for a formation satellite system.

[0016] An inter-satellite data transmission system for a formation satellite system provided by the present invention includes a CAN bus, a satellite computer, an inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal, a first antenna, a second antenna, and a data server;

[0017] The CAN bus is connected to the satellite computer and the inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal, respectively. The satellite computer is connected to the inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal, and the inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal is connected to the first antenna, the second antenna, and the data server, respectively.

[0018] Preferably, the inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal includes a power supply unit, a channel unit, and a baseband unit;

[0019] The channel unit is connected to the first antenna, the second antenna, and the baseband unit, respectively. The baseband unit is connected to the CAN bus, the satellite computer, and the data server, respectively.

[0020] Preferably, the system further includes:

[0021] Azimuth wide-beam and elevation narrow-beam antenna design system: X-waveguide slot antennas are selected to form an antenna array to achieve beam flattening and expand coverage of satellites in formation with the same orbital altitude and large azimuth angle distribution;

[0022] Dual-antenna and switch-switching design system: Based on the relative spatial relationship between the service satellite and the remote sensing satellite, one antenna is installed in the +X direction and the -X direction of the service satellite, and a switch-switching scheme is adopted to provide time-division coverage for remote sensing satellites in front of and behind the flight direction;

[0023] Antenna mounting interface integrated design system with satellite structure: The antenna mounting interface is assembled and processed on the satellite panel, the flatness and perpendicularity of each mounting interface are set, the mounting interface is positioned in the satellite coordinate system, and the antenna installation accuracy meets the requirements;

[0024] Antenna beam measurement and calibration design system: An optical measurement reference is installed on the antenna. The relationship between the antenna beam and the optical reference is obtained during antenna anechoic chamber testing. After the antenna is installed on the satellite, the relationship between the satellite optical reference and the antenna optical reference is measured to obtain the relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system for further calibration.

[0025] Inter-satellite data transmission mission scheduling design system: It adopts an inter-satellite command and control network to interact with mission command and control information between the formation satellites, and the service satellites carry out autonomous scheduling of inter-satellite data transmission mission planning to transmit data from multiple remote sensing satellites to the service satellites;

[0026] The Inter-Satellite Data Convenient Management System defines a type identifier field in the inter-satellite data format of remote sensing satellites to distinguish them. It supports data management based on type identifiers and time information attributes, and provides data read, write, and retrieval functions. After data is received, it is processed in formation on the serving satellites according to data type and mission time period.

[0027] Preferably, the azimuth wide-beam and elevation narrow-beam antenna design system is based on the spatial relative relationship between the service satellites and remote sensing satellites in the formation satellite system, with the azimuth range within ±55° and the elevation range within ±1°, and selects X-waveguide slot antennas to form an antenna array.

[0028] Preferably, the dual-antenna and switch-switching design system adopts a set of receiving equipment and switch-switching scheme based on the spatial relationship between the service satellites and remote sensing satellites in the formation satellite system. The remote sensing satellites are distributed in front of and behind the service satellites, and it is necessary to take into account satellite data from both directions. During operation, the switch is switched to the corresponding antenna to receive data according to the spatial relationship between the transmitting and receiving satellites.

[0029] Preferably, the antenna mounting interface and the integrated design system of the whole satellite structure require that the inter-satellite high-speed antenna mounting surface and mounting holes be machined in combination with the satellite reference according to the antenna beam coverage requirements. The antenna mounting surface is perpendicular to the X-axis of the satellite, and the direction of the long side of the antenna mounting hole is parallel to the Z-axis of the satellite.

[0030] Preferably, the antenna beam measurement and calibration design system installs an optical prism on the antenna. When conducting antenna performance testing in an anechoic chamber, it combines the antenna testing system to obtain the representations of five antenna beam vectors (-50, -20, 0, 20, and 50 degrees) in the optical prism. The plane fitted by the five beam vectors represents the antenna beam azimuth plane. After the antenna is mounted on the satellite, the relationship between the antenna optical prism and the satellite reference prism is measured to obtain the relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system. When there is a deviation, the antenna installation deviation is corrected until the antenna beam azimuth plane is perpendicular to the satellite Z-axis and symmetrical relative to the satellite X-axis.

[0031] Preferably, in the inter-satellite data transmission task scheduling design system, after the remote sensing satellite acquires data, it generates time slot requirements for inter-satellite transmission tasks and submits an application to the service satellite through the inter-satellite command and control network. The service satellite performs inter-satellite data transmission task planning and scheduling, plans transmission tasks for multiple remote sensing satellites arriving simultaneously, and sends the inter-satellite data transmission time slot allocation planning results to the remote sensing satellite through the inter-satellite command and control network. The remote sensing satellite receives the task scheduling and sends data to the service satellite during the specified time slot.

[0032] Preferably, in the inter-satellite data convenient management design system, different remote sensing satellites acquire different types of data, and the time of each inter-satellite transmission is also different. The system adopts a data management scheme based on type identification and time information attribute characteristics, provides data reading, writing and retrieval functions, and enables data to be processed in formation on the serving satellite according to mission time period or data type after data reception.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0034] 1. This invention uses a data transmission antenna with a wide beam in the azimuth direction and a narrow beam in the elevation direction, which can realize the reception of data from multiple remote sensing satellites on the same orbital plane. It avoids the need to use a pointing mechanism to calculate and point to different remote sensing satellites, eliminates the need for attitude maneuvering, optimizes satellite resource allocation, greatly reduces system complexity, and enhances design flexibility.

[0035] 2. The inter-satellite data transmission antenna of the present invention has high gain, enabling high-speed remote sensing data reception, and is not limited to traditional low-speed command and control information;

[0036] 3. This invention facilitates the rapid reception and processing of data from multiple different remote sensing satellite payloads, improves the overall processing capability and utilization efficiency of the entire satellite constellation system, and provides a high-speed data channel and comprehensive processing platform for on-board data fusion processing and the generation of useful information with high timeliness.

[0037] 4. The inter-satellite data transmission scheme designed in this invention realizes high-speed data transmission between networked satellites, improves the flexibility and transmission efficiency of inter-satellite data transmission, adapts to data transmission from multiple satellites to a target satellite, and realizes the requirements of time-division link establishment and on-demand transmission. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0039] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the inter-satellite data transmission system of a formation satellite system;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the inter-satellite data transmission antenna of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the inter-satellite data transmission receiver channel module of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the pitch coverage of the inter-satellite data transmission antenna of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the azimuth coverage of the inter-satellite data transmission antenna of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the antenna beam calibration of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several changes and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention. These all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0046] Example 1:

[0047] An inter-satellite data transmission system for a formation satellite system provided by the present invention includes a CAN bus, a satellite computer, an inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal, a first antenna, a second antenna, and a data server;

[0048] The CAN bus is connected to the satellite computer and the inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal, respectively. The satellite computer is connected to the inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal, which is connected to the first antenna, the second antenna, and the data server, respectively.

[0049] The inter-satellite high-speed receiver terminal includes a power supply unit, a channel unit, and a baseband unit;

[0050] The channel unit is connected to the first antenna, the second antenna, and the baseband unit, respectively. The baseband unit is connected to the CAN bus, the satellite computer, and the data server, respectively.

[0051] The system also includes:

[0052] Azimuth wide-beam and elevation narrow-beam antenna design system: X-waveguide slot antennas are selected to form an antenna array to achieve beam flattening and expand coverage of satellites in formation with the same orbital altitude and large azimuth angle distribution;

[0053] Dual-antenna and switch-switching design system: Based on the relative spatial relationship between the service satellite and the remote sensing satellite, one antenna is installed in the +X direction and the -X direction of the service satellite, and a switch-switching scheme is adopted to provide time-division coverage for remote sensing satellites in front of and behind the flight direction;

[0054] Antenna mounting interface integrated design system with satellite structure: The antenna mounting interface is assembled and processed on the satellite panel, the flatness and perpendicularity of each mounting interface are set, the mounting interface is positioned in the satellite coordinate system, and the antenna installation accuracy meets the requirements;

[0055] Antenna beam measurement and calibration design system: An optical measurement reference is installed on the antenna. The relationship between the antenna beam and the optical reference is obtained during antenna anechoic chamber testing. After the antenna is installed on the satellite, the relationship between the satellite optical reference and the antenna optical reference is measured to obtain the relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system for further calibration.

[0056] Inter-satellite data transmission mission scheduling design system: It adopts an inter-satellite command and control network to interact with mission command and control information between the formation satellites, and the service satellites carry out autonomous scheduling of inter-satellite data transmission mission planning to transmit data from multiple remote sensing satellites to the service satellites;

[0057] The Inter-Satellite Data Convenient Management System defines a type identifier field in the inter-satellite data format of remote sensing satellites to distinguish them. It supports data management based on type identifiers and time information attributes, and provides data read, write, and retrieval functions. After data is received, it is processed in formation on the serving satellites according to data type and mission time period.

[0058] The azimuth wide-beam and elevation narrow-beam antenna design system is based on the spatial relative relationship between the service satellites and remote sensing satellites in the formation satellite system. The azimuth is within ±55° and the elevation is within ±1°. X-waveguide slot antennas are selected to form an antenna array.

[0059] The dual-antenna and switch-switching design system is based on the spatial relationship between the service satellites and remote sensing satellites in the formation satellite system. The remote sensing satellites are distributed both in front of and behind the service satellites, and it is necessary to take into account satellite data from both directions. A set of receiving equipment and switch-switching scheme is adopted. During operation, the switch is switched to the corresponding antenna to receive data according to the spatial relationship between the transmitting and receiving satellites.

[0060] The antenna mounting interface and the integrated design system of the satellite structure require that the inter-satellite high-speed antenna mounting surface and mounting holes be machined in combination with the satellite reference according to the antenna beam coverage requirements. The antenna mounting surface is perpendicular to the X-axis of the satellite, and the direction of the long side of the antenna mounting hole is parallel to the Z-axis of the satellite.

[0061] The antenna beam measurement and calibration design system installs an optical prism on the antenna. During antenna performance testing in an anechoic chamber, it combines the antenna testing system to obtain the representations of five antenna beam vectors (-50, -20, 0, 20, and 50 degrees) in the optical prism. The plane fitted by the five beam vectors represents the antenna beam azimuth plane. After the antenna is installed on the satellite, the relationship between the antenna optical prism and the satellite reference prism is measured to obtain the relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system. When there is a deviation, the antenna installation deviation is corrected until the antenna beam azimuth plane is perpendicular to the satellite Z-axis and symmetrical with respect to the satellite X-axis.

[0062] In the inter-satellite data transmission task scheduling design system, after acquiring data, the remote sensing satellite generates time slot requirements for inter-satellite transmission tasks and submits an application to the service satellite through the inter-satellite command and control network. The service satellite performs inter-satellite data transmission task planning and scheduling, plans transmission tasks for multiple remote sensing satellites arriving simultaneously, and sends the inter-satellite data transmission time slot allocation planning results to the remote sensing satellite through the inter-satellite command and control network. The remote sensing satellite receives the task schedule and sends data to the service satellite during the specified time slot.

[0063] In the design system for convenient inter-satellite data management, different remote sensing satellites acquire different types of data, and the time of each inter-satellite transmission is also different. The system adopts a data management scheme based on type identification and time information attribute characteristics, provides data reading, writing and retrieval functions, and enables data to be processed in formation on the serving satellite according to mission time period or data type after data reception.

[0064] Example 2:

[0065] Example 2 is a preferred embodiment of Example 1, and is used to illustrate the present invention in more detail.

[0066] An inter-satellite data transmission system for a formation satellite system provided by the present invention includes:

[0067] Azimuth wide-beam and elevation narrow-beam antenna design: X-waveguide slot antennas are selected to form an antenna array to achieve beam flattening and expand coverage of satellites in formation with the same orbital altitude and large azimuth angle distribution;

[0068] Dual antenna and switch-switching design: Based on the relative spatial relationship between the service satellite and the remote sensing satellite, an inter-satellite receiving antenna is installed in the +X direction and the -X direction of the satellite. A switch-switching scheme is adopted to achieve time-division coverage of remote sensing satellites in front of and behind the flight direction.

[0069] The antenna mounting interface is integrated with the overall satellite structure: the antenna mounting interface is assembled and processed on the satellite panel to ensure the flatness and perpendicularity of each mounting interface, realize the precise positioning of the mounting interface in the satellite coordinate system, and ensure that the antenna installation accuracy meets the requirements.

[0070] Antenna beam measurement and calibration design: An optical measurement reference is installed on the antenna. The relationship between the antenna beam and the optical reference is obtained in the antenna anechoic chamber test. After the antenna is installed on the satellite, the relationship between the satellite optical reference and the antenna optical reference is measured to obtain the relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system, which can be used for further calibration.

[0071] Inter-satellite data transmission mission scheduling design: The inter-satellite command and control network is used to exchange mission command and control information between the formation satellites. The service satellites carry out inter-satellite data transmission mission planning and autonomous scheduling to realize the orderly transmission of data from multiple remote sensing satellites to the service satellites.

[0072] Convenient Inter-Satellite Data Management Design: In the inter-satellite data format of remote sensing satellites, a type identifier field is defined to distinguish remote sensing satellites. It supports data management based on attribute characteristics such as type identifier and time information, and provides convenient data reading, writing and retrieval functions. After data is received, it is processed in formation on the serving satellite according to data type and mission time period.

[0073] The X-band inter-satellite data transmission receiving antenna consists of an antenna array and a microstrip power distribution network. To achieve a 100° wide beam pattern, a one-dimensional linear array is used. To improve the reliability of design, production, and manufacturing, a 1*64 waveguide slot antenna array is adopted. Ultimately, the gain meets the requirements within the azimuth coverage range of -55° to 55° and the elevation angle range of -1° to 1°. The azimuth wide-beam and elevation narrow-beam antenna design is based on the spatial relative relationship between the service satellites and remote sensing satellites in the formation satellite system. The antenna beam must cover this range while having high gain. X-band waveguide slot antennas are selected to form an antenna array to achieve the requirement of narrow elevation beam and wide azimuth beam coverage.

[0074] The service satellite is equipped with two inter-satellite receiving antennas, one in the +X direction and the other in the -X direction. The beam centers of the antennas point to the +X and -X axes, respectively. The inter-satellite receiving antenna beams can cover the inter-satellite transmitting satellites. When receiving inter-satellite data, the service satellite does not need to perform attitude maneuvers, saving attitude maneuver time and shortening the time interval for receiving data from different remote sensing satellites. The inter-satellite data receiver uses a switch-switching method to switch to the appropriate antenna for reception according to the transmission requirements of different remote sensing satellites. The dual-antenna and switch-switching design is based on the spatial relationship between the service satellite and the remote sensing satellites in the formation satellite system. The remote sensing satellites are distributed both in front of and behind the service satellite, requiring data from satellites in both directions. To improve data transmission efficiency and reduce system size, a single receiving device and switch-switching scheme are used. During operation, the switch is switched to the corresponding antenna for data reception according to the spatial relationship between the transmitting and receiving satellites.

[0075] The inter-satellite receiving antenna mounting interface is integrated with the satellite interface. The antenna mounting interface is integrated with the overall satellite structure. According to the antenna beam coverage requirements, the inter-satellite high-speed antenna mounting surface and mounting holes are required to be machined in combination with the satellite reference to ensure the relationship between the antenna optical axis and the satellite coordinate system, and to ensure the accuracy of the antenna mounting surface and mounting holes. The overall mounting plane flatness and perpendicularity of a single antenna are better than 0.2mm. At this time, the antenna mounting surface is perpendicular to the X-axis of the satellite, and the direction of the long side of the antenna mounting hole is parallel to the Z-axis of the satellite.

[0076] The antenna beam measurement and calibration design involves installing an optical prism on the antenna. During antenna performance testing in an anechoic chamber, the antenna testing system is used to obtain the representations of five antenna beam vectors (-50°, -20°, 0°, 20°, and 50°) in the optical prism. The plane fitted by these five beam vectors represents the antenna beam azimuth plane. After the antenna is mounted on the satellite, the relationship between the antenna optical prism and the satellite reference prism is measured to obtain the relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system. When deviations exist, the antenna installation deviations are corrected until the antenna beam azimuth plane is perpendicular to the satellite's Z-axis and symmetrical relative to the satellite's X-axis.

[0077] To ensure the final relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system, an optical prism is installed on the antenna. During antenna anechoic chamber testing, the relationship of the antenna beam in the optical prism is calibrated. After the antenna is installed on the satellite, a theodolite is used to calibrate the coordinate relationship between the antenna prism and the satellite reference prism. Through coordinate system transformation, the relationship of the antenna beam in the satellite reference coordinate system is obtained. If it does not meet the usage requirements, the antenna installation is fine-tuned to adjust the beam relationship until the requirements are met.

[0078] Using an inter-satellite command and control network, mission information is exchanged. After acquiring data, the remote sensing satellites generate inter-satellite transmission mission time slot requirements and submit applications to the service satellites through the inter-satellite command and control network. The service satellites then plan and schedule inter-satellite transmission missions, including the transmission missions of multiple arriving remote sensing satellites. The planning results, which include the allocation of inter-satellite data link time slots, are sent to the remote sensing satellites through the inter-satellite command and control network. The remote sensing satellites receive the mission scheduling instructions and send data to the service satellites during the specified time slots.

[0079] In the design of convenient inter-satellite data management, different remote sensing satellites acquire different types of data, and the time of each inter-satellite transmission is also different. The data management scheme adopts the attribute characteristics such as type identification and time information, and provides convenient data reading, writing and retrieval functions. After the data is received, it can be processed by the service satellite according to the mission time period or data type.

[0080] A flexible and convenient data management solution was designed, which adopts an operating system-based data file system. Data from a specific remote sensing satellite and a specific time period can be easily and accurately located through type identification, time information, etc., and then used for precise processing on the service satellite.

[0081] A specific implementation example is the Seven Stars system.

[0082] like Figure 1As shown, this invention employs a wide-beam azimuth antenna and a narrow-beam elevation antenna to expand coverage of satellites in formation with similar orbital altitudes and large azimuth angles; it uses a dual-antenna scheme and a switching scheme to achieve time-division coverage of remote sensing satellites ahead and behind in the flight direction; it adopts an integrated processing scheme for antenna mounting interfaces and the overall satellite structure to ensure that the antenna installation accuracy meets requirements; it uses an optical reference measurement scheme to calibrate and correct the relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system; it uses an inter-satellite command and control network to interact with mission command and control information between formation satellites, and conducts autonomous scheduling of inter-satellite data transmission mission planning to achieve orderly transmission of data from multiple remote sensing satellites; it uses a flexible and convenient file system for data management, supporting data management based on attribute characteristics such as type information and time information, providing convenient data read, write, and retrieval functions, and enabling formation data processing on the serving satellite according to data type and mission time period after data reception.

[0083] The inter-satellite data transmission system enables data transmission between satellites in a formation through two separate units: an inter-satellite receiving antenna and an inter-satellite receiving terminal. It mainly consists of modules such as a passive array antenna, a receiving channel unit, a baseband processing unit, and a power supply unit.

[0084] The inter-satellite receiving antenna is manufactured as a complete functional module, and its functions are divided into waveguide-to-coaxial converters, waveguide series feed networks, waveguide slot radiators, and circular polarizers. The receiving antenna has relatively special requirements for the beam, with a wider beam in one dimension and a narrower beam in another dimension. To meet these requirements, the antenna adopts a one-dimensional linear array.

[0085] A two-antenna, switch-switching scheme is employed to achieve time-division coverage of remote sensing satellites ahead and behind the flight path. The receiving channel module consists of X-band frequency selective amplification, switch selection, mixing, intermediate frequency amplification, and frequency synthesizer circuits. Its main function is to amplify the received X-band signal, select the switch, and down-convert it before sending it to the baseband processing module for processing. The switch is located within the receiving channel module. Based on the inter-satellite data transmission mission planning and scheduling results, the satellite computer generates a switch-switching command to switch the switch to the corresponding receiving antenna.

[0086] To ensure antenna beam coverage, the receiving antenna mounting interface is integrated with the overall satellite structure. The inter-satellite receiving antenna mounting surface and mounting holes are machined together with the satellite reference to ensure the accuracy of the antenna mounting surface and mounting holes. The overall mounting plane and verticality of a single antenna are better than 0.2mm. At this time, the antenna mounting surface is perpendicular to the X-axis of the satellite, and the direction of the long side of the antenna mounting hole is parallel to the Z-axis of the satellite.

[0087] To ensure the relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system, and thus ultimately ensure space coverage, an antenna beam measurement and calibration design is adopted. An optical prism is installed on the antenna. During antenna performance testing in an anechoic chamber, the antenna testing system is used to obtain the representations of five antenna beam vectors (-50°, -20°, 0°, 20°, and 50°) in the optical prism. The plane fitted by the five beam vectors represents the antenna beam azimuth plane. After the antenna is installed on the satellite, the relationship between the antenna optical prism and the satellite reference prism is measured to obtain the relationship between the antenna beam azimuth plane and the satellite coordinate system. When deviations exist, the antenna installation deviations are corrected until the antenna beam coverage meets the requirements.

[0088] The service satellite needs to receive data from multiple remote sensing satellites in a time-sharing manner, requiring an inter-satellite data transmission task scheduling design. The remote sensing satellite generates time slot requirements for inter-satellite transmission tasks and submits an application to the service satellite through the inter-satellite command and control network. The service satellite performs inter-satellite data transmission task planning and scheduling to ensure orderly inter-satellite data transmission. The planning results, including the allocation of inter-satellite data link time slots, are sent to the remote sensing satellite through the inter-satellite command and control network. The remote sensing satellite receives the task schedule and sends data to the service satellite during the designated time slot.

[0089] To enable rapid and convenient data retrieval on service satellites for further processing, an inter-satellite data management system is adopted. Data acquired by different remote sensing satellites is managed according to attributes such as type identification and time information, providing convenient data reading, writing, and retrieval functions. After data reception, it can be processed in groups on service satellites according to mission time periods or data types.

[0090] During inter-satellite data transmission missions, the satellite platform powers on the high-speed receiving terminal. The satellite interacts with the remote sensing satellite via the inter-satellite command and control network, receiving transmission requests from the remote sensing satellite, planning and scheduling the inter-satellite data transmission mission, and feeding back the planning results to the remote sensing satellite. It also generates switching parameters for the inter-satellite receiving terminal and transmits antenna selection commands to the channel unit in the terminal to switch the antenna channels. The high-speed receiving terminal receives X-band signals from the antenna unit, performs signal conditioning, frequency conversion, and demodulation, and sends the demodulated data to the data server for processing. After the mission is completed, the satellite platform powers off the inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal.

[0091] Those skilled in the art can understand this embodiment as a more specific description of Embodiment 1.

[0092] Those skilled in the art will understand that, besides implementing the system and its various devices, modules, and units provided by this invention in the form of purely computer-readable program code, the same functions can be achieved entirely through logical programming of the method steps, making the system and its various devices, modules, and units of this invention function in the form of logic gates, switches, application-specific integrated circuits, programmable logic controllers, and embedded microcontrollers. Therefore, the system and its various devices, modules, and units provided by this invention can be considered as a hardware component, and the devices, modules, and units included therein for implementing various functions can also be considered as structures within the hardware component; alternatively, the devices, modules, and units for implementing various functions can be considered as both software modules implementing the method and structures within the hardware component.

[0093] Specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications within the scope of the claims, which do not affect the essence of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

Claims

1. An inter-satellite data transmission system for a formation satellite system, characterized in that, This includes a CAN bus, a satellite computer, an inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal, a first antenna, a second antenna, and a data server. The CAN bus is connected to the satellite computer and the inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal, respectively. The satellite computer is connected to the inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal, and the inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal is connected to the first antenna, the second antenna, and the data server, respectively. The inter-satellite high-speed receiving terminal includes a power supply unit, a channel unit, and a baseband unit; The channel unit is connected to the first antenna, the second antenna, and the baseband unit, respectively. The baseband unit is connected to the CAN bus, the satellite computer, and the data server, respectively. The system also includes: Azimuth wide-beam and elevation narrow-beam antenna design system: X-waveguide slot antennas are selected to form an antenna array to achieve beam flattening and expand coverage of satellites in formation with the same orbital altitude and large azimuth angle distribution; Dual-antenna and switch-switching design system: Based on the relative spatial relationship between the service satellite and the remote sensing satellite, one antenna is installed in the +X direction and the -X direction of the service satellite, and a switch-switching scheme is adopted to provide time-division coverage for remote sensing satellites in front of and behind the flight direction; Antenna mounting interface integrated design system with satellite structure: The antenna mounting interface is assembled and processed on the satellite panel, the flatness and perpendicularity of each mounting interface are set, the mounting interface is positioned in the satellite coordinate system, and the antenna installation accuracy meets the requirements; Antenna beam measurement and calibration design system: An optical measurement reference is installed on the antenna. The relationship between the antenna beam and the optical reference is obtained during antenna anechoic chamber testing. After the antenna is installed on the satellite, the relationship between the satellite optical reference and the antenna optical reference is measured to obtain the relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system for further calibration. Inter-satellite data transmission mission scheduling design system: It adopts an inter-satellite command and control network to interact with mission command and control information between the formation satellites, and the service satellites carry out autonomous scheduling of inter-satellite data transmission mission planning to transmit data from multiple remote sensing satellites to the service satellites; Inter-satellite data convenient management design system: In the inter-satellite data format of remote sensing satellites, a type identifier field is defined to distinguish remote sensing satellites. It supports data management based on type identifier and time information attribute characteristics, provides data read, write and retrieval functions, and after the data is received, it is processed by the service satellite according to data type and mission time period. The azimuth wide-beam and elevation narrow-beam antenna design system is based on the spatial relative relationship between the service satellites and remote sensing satellites in the formation satellite system, with the azimuth range within ±55° and the elevation range within ±1°. It selects X-waveguide slot antennas to form an antenna array.

2. The inter-satellite data transmission system for a formation satellite system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dual-antenna and switch-switching design system is based on the spatial relationship between the service satellites and remote sensing satellites in the formation satellite system. The remote sensing satellites are distributed both in front of and behind the service satellites, and it is necessary to take into account satellite data from both directions. A set of receiving equipment and switch-switching scheme is adopted. During operation, the switch is switched to the corresponding antenna to receive data according to the spatial relationship between the transmitting and receiving satellites.

3. The inter-satellite data transmission system for a formation satellite system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The antenna mounting interface and the integrated design system of the satellite structure require that the inter-satellite high-speed antenna mounting surface and mounting holes be machined in combination with the satellite reference according to the antenna beam coverage requirements. The antenna mounting surface is perpendicular to the X-axis of the satellite, and the vertical direction of the plane where the antenna mounting hole is located is parallel to the Z-axis of the satellite.

4. The inter-satellite data transmission system for a formation satellite system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The antenna beam measurement and calibration design system installs an optical prism on the antenna. During antenna performance testing in an anechoic chamber, it combines the antenna testing system to obtain the representations of five antenna beam vectors (-50, -20, 0, 20, and 50 degrees) in the optical prism. The plane fitted by the five beam vectors represents the antenna beam azimuth plane. After the antenna is installed on the satellite, the relationship between the antenna optical prism and the satellite reference prism is measured to obtain the relationship between the antenna beam and the satellite coordinate system. When there is a deviation, the antenna installation deviation is corrected until the antenna beam azimuth plane is perpendicular to the satellite Z-axis and symmetrical with respect to the satellite X-axis.

5. The inter-satellite data transmission system for a formation satellite system according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the inter-satellite data transmission task scheduling design system, after acquiring data, the remote sensing satellite generates time slot requirements for inter-satellite transmission tasks and submits an application to the service satellite through the inter-satellite command and control network. The service satellite performs inter-satellite data transmission task planning and scheduling, plans transmission tasks for multiple remote sensing satellites arriving simultaneously, and sends the inter-satellite data transmission time slot allocation planning results to the remote sensing satellite through the inter-satellite command and control network. The remote sensing satellite receives the task schedule and sends data to the service satellite during the specified time slot.

6. The inter-satellite data transmission system for a formation satellite system according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the inter-satellite data management system described above, different remote sensing satellites acquire different types of data, and the time of each inter-satellite transmission is also different. The system adopts a data management scheme based on type identification and time information attribute characteristics, and provides data reading, writing and retrieval functions. After the data is received, it can be processed in formation on the serving satellite according to the mission time period or data type.

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