A low-power beacon monitoring method for sensing space debris movements

Abstract

The present invention discloses a low-power beacon monitoring method for sensing space debris movements, comprising: step 100, where a beacon unit is placed in a low-power sleep mode by default after being released in a key area, with the payload maintaining system operation at minimum power consumption; step 200, where the beacon unit periodically switches to an active working mode upon detecting entry of space debris, and transmits the location of the space debris in real time; and step 300, where, upon detecting movement of the space debris, the movement information is stored in the beacon unit memory, and the location of the space debris is transmitted in real time upon transit. The low-power beacon monitoring method for space debris can be used as a supplementary means to improve the shortcomings of existing traditional space debris situational awareness systems, such as low update frequency and inability to monitor small debris.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of space debris monitoring, and in particular to a low-power beacon monitoring method for sensing abnormal movement of space debris. Background Art

[0002] The increasing amount of space debris in orbit has become a major public hazard, hindering humanity's continued use and development of space resources. Space "traffic accidents" not only exact a heavy price on both the perpetrators and victims, but also, through the Kessler phenomenon, can impact a significant number of innocent individuals.

[0003] Currently, there are still some shortcomings in space debris monitoring, collision warning, and negotiated disposal. A real-time debris monitoring database is still lacking, and debris collision warning and avoidance mechanisms are immature. Space debris monitoring faces problems such as limited cataloging, large size, limited methods, and incomplete databases. Traditional space debris orbit determination, which relies on space-based and ground-based situational awareness systems, suffers from low update frequency and an inability to monitor small debris. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention discloses a low-power beacon monitoring method for sensing abnormal movement of space debris. Through space-based guidance, beacon units are released in batches to space debris in key orbital areas to locate and monitor space debris.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a low-power beacon monitoring method for sensing abnormal movement of space debris, comprising:

[0006] Step 100: After being released in the key area, the beacon unit operates in a low-power sleep mode and transmits the orbital position information of the beacon unit;

[0007] Step 200: After detecting the entry of space debris, the beacon unit enters a ground wake-up phase, receives a ground command to switch to a working mode, and transmits the position of the space debris in real time.

[0008] Step 300: When the space debris movement is detected, the movement information is stored in the beacon unit memory, and the position of the space debris is transmitted in real time when the space debris passes through the station.

[0009] Furthermore, the beacon unit monitors space debris through the internally configured gyroscope and accelerometer to enter the ground wake-up phase.

[0010] Furthermore, the step 100 further includes the following sub-steps:

[0011] Step 101: Release a beacon unit close to the space debris that needs special attention;

[0012] Step 102: After being released into place, the beacon unit performs a power-on self-test and transmits its status information to the ground;

[0013] Step 103: After the self-test is completed, the beacon unit enters a low-power sleep mode;

[0014] Step 104: In the low-power sleep mode, the GNSS is powered off by default, and a pre-set program is used to perform time recursion to correct the orbital position and orbital velocity information of the space debris.

[0015] Step 105: The beacon unit regularly transmits the space debris orbit information: The beacon unit determines whether the payload is within the ground tracking and control range based on the orbit and the ground tracking and control station information pre-stored on the payload. Each time it enters the ground tracking and control range, the tracking and control transmission is turned on and the space debris time and orbit information is transmitted.

[0016] Furthermore, in step 101, the beacon unit approaches the space debris requiring special attention through a mother platform satellite or an autonomous approach.

[0017] Furthermore, in step 104, the setting program sets the GNSS to be powered on for 5 minutes every 3 orbits.

[0018] Furthermore, in the low-power sleep mode of step 103, the energy control board is always on, and the satellite computer and the GNSS receiver are in standby mode.

[0019] Furthermore, the step 200 further includes the following sub-steps:

[0020] Step 201: The beacon unit detects that space debris has entered the ground measurement and control range. The ground sends a wake-up command to the beacon unit. After receiving the wake-up command, the beacon unit measurement and control receiver switches to the active working mode.

[0021] Step 202: The beacon unit records the orbital position information of the space debris and transmits the orbital position information to the ground in the shortest possible time.

[0022] Step 203: The ground receives the orbital position information and then sends a sleep instruction to the beacon unit, and the beacon unit switches to a low-power sleep working mode.

[0023] Furthermore, step 300 further includes the following sub-steps:

[0024] Step 301: When the space debris moves abnormally, the beacon unit is awakened and switches from the autonomous and concealed working mode to the active transmission working mode;

[0025] Step 302: After entering the ground measurement and control range, the receiver and transmitter are turned on to transmit the space debris maneuver trajectory information; in active mode, after the information transmission is completed, the space debris maneuver status monitoring is started. If the target satellite does not maneuver within one orbit, the satellite computer will actively switch to the stealth mode.

[0026] On the other hand, the present invention further provides a space debris low-power beacon monitoring unit, configured to execute any of the above methods, including:

[0027] Power board, used for on-orbit energy management of beacon units;

[0028] Space service computer, used for mission scheduling and beacon data processing;

[0029] Accelerometers and gyroscopes are used to locate the acceleration and angular velocity changes of the monitored space debris;

[0030] GNSS components for precise location of space debris;

[0031] The measurement and control component is used to transmit abnormal fragment information.

[0032] Compared with the existing technology, the solution provided by the present invention includes at least the following beneficial technical effects: after entering the station, the space debris monitoring beacon unit can be awakened by the ground and periodically switched to active working mode to transmit the location of space debris in real time; when the space debris moves, the beacon unit actively stores the change information into the memory, and transmits the location of space debris in real time when it passes through the station. The low-power beacon monitoring method for space debris can be used as a supplementary means to improve the shortcomings of the existing traditional space debris situational awareness system, such as low update frequency and inability to monitor small debris; the beacon unit can be deployed in batches and self-organizing network collaboration as a supplementary means to the existing space situational awareness system, improving the situational awareness capability of densely distributed space debris in the area and accelerating the existing situational awareness system's beacon update capability for small debris; it can also be used for monitoring the movement of space debris of different sizes or non-cooperative targets according to the mission scenario. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying any creative work.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the composition of a beacon unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2This is a diagram of the working mode of space debris movement perception according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] In the figure, 1-GNSS communication board; 2-GNSS antenna; 3-measurement and control board; 4-accelerometer and gyroscope; 5-satellite computer; 6-power board; 7-measurement and control antenna. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The following is a more detailed description of a low-power beacon monitoring method for sensing unusual space debris movements, using schematic diagrams. These diagrams illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that those skilled in the art may modify the invention described herein while still achieving its advantageous effects. Therefore, the following description should be understood as generally known to those skilled in the art and not as a limitation of the present invention.

[0038] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0039] The following paragraphs describe the present invention in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description. It should be noted that the drawings are greatly simplified and not to exact scale, and are provided solely for the purpose of assisting in the description of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0040] The present invention provides a low-power beacon monitoring method for sensing abnormal movement of space debris, comprising:

[0041] Step 100: After being released in the key area, the beacon unit operates in a low-power sleep mode and transmits the orbital position information of the beacon unit;

[0042] Step 200: After detecting the entry of space debris, the beacon unit enters a ground wake-up phase, receives a ground command to switch to a working mode, and transmits the position of the space debris in real time.

[0043] Step 300: When the space debris movement is detected, the movement information is stored in the beacon unit memory, and the position of the space debris is transmitted in real time when the space debris passes through the station.

[0044] Furthermore, the beacon unit monitors space debris through the internally configured gyroscope and accelerometer to enter the ground wake-up phase.

[0045] Specifically, in an embodiment of the present invention, the beacon unit can sense the movement of space debris and record the orbit during the movement through the accelerometer and gyroscope configured by itself. When the space debris moves, the beacon unit actively stores the movement information into the memory and transmits the position of the space debris in real time when passing through the station.

[0046] Specifically, in step 200, the beacon unit detects the position of the space debris in real time. When the position of the space debris is within the detection range of the beacon unit, that is, the space debris enters the ground wake-up phase, and executes subsequent instruction operations.

[0047] Furthermore, the step 100 further includes the following sub-steps:

[0048] Step 101: Release a beacon unit close to the space debris that needs special attention;

[0049] Step 102, beacon unit power-on self-test: after being released into place, the beacon unit performs power-on self-test and transmits its own status information to the ground;

[0050] Step 103: After the self-test is completed, the beacon unit enters a low-power sleep mode;

[0051] Step 104: In the low-power sleep mode, the GNSS is turned off by default, and a pre-set program is used to perform time recursion to correct the orbital position and orbital velocity information of the space debris, and to record the orbital information of the space debris at regular intervals.

[0052] Step 105: The beacon unit regularly transmits the space debris orbit information: The beacon unit determines whether the payload is within the ground tracking and control range based on the orbit and the ground tracking and control station information pre-stored on the payload. Each time it enters the ground tracking and control range, the tracking and control transmission is turned on and the space debris time and orbit information is transmitted.

[0053] Furthermore, in step 101, the beacon unit approaches the space debris requiring special attention through a mother platform satellite or an autonomous approach.

[0054] Furthermore, in step 104, the setting program sets the GNSS to be powered on for 5 minutes every 3 orbits.

[0055] Furthermore, in the low-power sleep mode of step 103, the energy control board is always on, and the satellite computer and the GNSS receiver are in standby mode.

[0056] Furthermore, the step 200 further includes the following sub-steps:

[0057] Step 201: The beacon unit detects that space debris has entered the ground measurement and control range. The ground sends a wake-up command to the beacon unit. After receiving the wake-up command, the beacon unit measurement and control receiver switches to the active working mode.

[0058] Step 202: The beacon unit records the orbital position information of the space debris and transmits the orbital position information to the ground in the shortest possible time.

[0059] Step 203: The ground receives the orbital position information and then sends a sleep instruction to the beacon unit, and the beacon unit switches to a low-power sleep working mode.

[0060] Furthermore, step 300 further includes the following sub-steps:

[0061] Step 301: When the space debris moves abnormally, the beacon unit is awakened and switches from the autonomous and concealed working mode to the active transmission working mode;

[0062] Step 302: After determining that the space debris has entered the ground measurement and control range, the receiver and transmitter are turned on to transmit the space debris maneuver trajectory information; in active mode, after the information transmission is completed, the space debris maneuver status monitoring is started. If the target satellite does not maneuver within one orbit, the satellite computer will actively switch to stealth mode.

[0063] In step 301, when the monitored space debris has an abnormal situation, such as being hit by other debris and causing a change in position / maneuvering orbit, that is, the space debris moves abnormally, the beacon unit is actively awakened and enters the active transmission working mode.

[0064] For details, see Figure 2 The default initial state is a low-power sleep phase, releasing the beacon unit to a target space debris site. The beacon unit can approach the target space debris site through the mother platform satellite or autonomous approach. The beacon unit then performs a power-on self-test to confirm that its control, communication, and power management functions are functioning properly before entering a low-power sleep mode. To maintain low power consumption, only the energy control board remains on, while the satellite computer and GNSS receiver are in standby mode. Using a pre-set program, the GNSS unit is powered on for five minutes every three orbits to correct the debris' orbital position and velocity.

[0065] In an embodiment of the present invention, the beacon unit can be switched to active mode via ground-based commands. In active mode, the beacon unit's power management module, satellite computer, and GNSS are all in a normally-on state. Upon determining entry based on GNSS positioning information, the satellite computer automatically turns on the beacon payload's internal measurement and control unit, fully enabling measurement and control transmission and reception, and downloading the space debris status information recorded in the beacon unit's memory.

[0066] On the other hand, the present invention further provides a low-power beacon monitoring unit for sensing abnormal movement of space debris, which is configured to execute any of the above methods, including:

[0067] Power board, used for on-orbit energy management of beacon units;

[0068] Space service computer, used for mission scheduling and beacon data processing;

[0069] Accelerometers and gyroscopes are used to locate the acceleration and angular velocity changes of the monitored space debris;

[0070] GNSS components for precise location of space debris;

[0071] The measurement and control component is used to transmit abnormal fragment information.

[0072] See also Figure 2 The present invention discloses a low-power beacon monitoring unit for sensing abnormal movement of space debris, which is composed of a power supply board, a satellite computer, an accelerometer and a gyroscope, a GNSS communication board, a measurement and control board, a GNSS antenna, and a measurement and control antenna. The power supply board is used for power supply and distribution for the entire payload, and the beacon unit is equipped with solar cells and batteries. Space debris is in an out-of-control state and it is difficult to maintain a solar orientation or a three-axis stable attitude toward the Earth, so it is necessary to focus on the stability of the power distribution unit; the satellite computer is used for time orbit recursion and task management of the entire payload; the accelerometer and gyroscope are used for detecting abnormal movement of space debris; the GNSS communication board and the GNSS antenna are used in conjunction for the beacon function, and the measurement and control board and the measurement and control antenna are used in conjunction for communicating with the ground measurement and control station after entry and transmitting space debris orbit information.

[0073] The above describes specific embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art may make various changes or modifications within the scope of the claims, which do not affect the essence of the present invention. The embodiments of this application and the features in the embodiments may be combined with each other in any manner unless there is a conflict.

Claims

1. A low-power beacon monitoring method for sensing space debris anomalies, characterized in that: include: Step 100: After being released in the key area, the beacon unit operates in a low-power sleep mode and transmits the orbital position information of the beacon unit; Step 200: After detecting the entry of space debris, the beacon unit enters a ground wake-up phase, receives a ground command to switch to a working mode, and transmits the position of the space debris in real time. Step 300: When the space debris movement is detected, the movement information is stored in the beacon unit memory, and the location of the space debris is transmitted in real time when the space debris passes through the station; Wherein, the step 100 further includes the following sub-steps: Step 101: Release a beacon unit close to the space debris that needs special attention; Step 102: After being released into place, the beacon unit performs a power-on self-test and transmits its status information to the ground; Step 103: After the self-test is completed, the beacon unit enters a low-power sleep mode; Step 104: In the low-power sleep mode, the GNSS is turned off by default, and a pre-set program is used to perform time recursion to correct the orbital position and orbital velocity information of the space debris, and the orbital information of the space debris is recorded regularly. Step 105: The beacon unit regularly transmits the space debris orbit information: The beacon unit determines whether the payload is within the ground tracking and control range based on the orbit and the ground tracking and control station information pre-stored on the payload. Each time it enters the ground tracking and control range, the tracking and control transmission is turned on and the space debris time and orbit information is transmitted.

2. The low-power beacon monitoring method for space debris movement perception according to claim 1, characterized in that: The beacon unit monitors space debris through the gyroscope and accelerometer configured inside and enters the ground awakening stage.

3. The low-power beacon monitoring method for space debris movement perception according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 101, the beacon unit approaches the space debris that needs to be paid special attention to through the mother platform satellite or autonomous approach.

4. The low-power beacon monitoring method for space debris movement perception according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 104 , the configuration program sets the GNSS to be powered on for 5 minutes every 3 orbits.

5. The low-power beacon monitoring method for space debris movement perception according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step 103 , in the low-power sleep mode, the energy control board is always on, and the satellite computer and the GNSS receiver are in standby mode.

6. The low-power beacon monitoring method for space debris movement perception according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step 200 further includes the following sub-steps: Step 201: The beacon unit detects that space debris has entered the ground measurement and control range. The ground sends a wake-up command to the beacon unit. After receiving the wake-up command, the beacon unit measurement and control receiver switches to the active working mode. Step 202: The beacon unit records the orbital position information of the space debris and transmits the orbital position information to the ground in the shortest possible time. Step 203: The ground receives the orbital position information and then sends a sleep instruction to the beacon unit, and the beacon unit switches to a low-power sleep working mode.

7. The low-power beacon monitoring method for space debris movement perception according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step 300 further includes the following sub-steps: Step 301: When the space debris moves abnormally, the beacon unit is awakened and switches from the autonomous and concealed working mode to the active transmission working mode; Step 302: After determining that the space debris has entered the ground tracking range, the receiver and transmitter are powered on to transmit the maneuvering trajectory information of the space debris. In active mode, after the information transmission is completed, the space debris maneuvering status monitoring is started. If the target satellite does not maneuver within one orbit, the satellite computer will actively switch to the stealth mode.

8. A low-power beacon monitoring unit for sensing abnormal movement of space debris, characterized in that: The low-power beacon monitoring unit for sensing abnormal space debris movement is configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising: Power board, used for on-orbit energy management of beacon units; Space service computer, used for mission scheduling and beacon data processing; Accelerometers and gyroscopes are used to locate the acceleration and angular velocity changes of the monitored space debris; GNSS components for precise location of space debris; The measurement and control component is used to transmit abnormal fragment information.

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