Low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantification and task planning method and system

Abstract

The invention relates to a low-earth-orbit satellite measurement and control technology, and discloses a low-earth-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantification and task planning method and system, and the method comprises the steps: determining the overall measurement and control demands of a low-earth-orbit satellite constellation; calculating a potential measurement and control arc section of the satellite according to the determined measurement and control requirements of the satellite constellation; evaluating whether a ground measurement and control station has enough antenna resources to meet measurement and control requirements of all satellites so as to determine whether a new antenna needs to be added, and if so, performing corresponding antenna addition and measurement and control arc section distribution according to an evaluation result so as to optimize the antenna resources and the measurement and control arc section distribution condition; and evaluating whether the measurement and control requirements of the low-orbit satellite constellation can be completely met or not, and if so, carrying out balanced distribution of measurement and control arc segments of internal antennas of the ground measurement and control stations. According to the invention, limited ground measurement and control station resources can be effectively used to meet measurement and control requirements of large low-orbit satellite constellations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to low-orbit satellite measurement and control technology, and in particular to the determination of the number of measurement and control antennas for large low-orbit satellite constellations and the measurement and control task allocation and antenna scheduling technology for large low-orbit satellite constellations. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of space technology and communication technology, large low-orbit communication satellite constellations have gradually become a hot spot for research and application. Large low-orbit communication satellite constellations, represented by StarLink, have begun to provide global ground services. This trend has attracted great attention from countries and institutions around the world, and more and more large low-orbit satellite constellation projects are entering the critical stage of their planning, design and construction.

[0003] However, the construction and operation of large low-orbit communication satellite constellations have brought a series of new technical challenges. The most prominent one is the satellite tracking and control problem. With the rapid increase in the number of satellites in orbit at the same time, traditional satellite tracking and control methods and strategies have been unable to meet new demands. Especially when the number of satellites exceeds 1,000, how to effectively use the limited ground tracking and control station resources to meet the tracking and control needs of large low-orbit satellite constellations has become an urgent problem to be solved.

[0004] In addition to the scheduling and management of TT&C tasks, in order to ensure the economic feasibility of satellite constellation construction, how to determine the optimal number and distribution of ground TT&C antennas is also an important technical challenge. Inappropriate number and distribution of antennas may lead to waste of TT&C resources or insufficient TT&C capabilities, which will have an adverse impact on the normal operation and service quality of the constellation.

[0005] To sum up, how to determine the number and distribution of ground measurement and control antennas, and at the same time efficiently plan and schedule measurement and control tasks, has become a technical problem that needs to be urgently solved in the field of low-orbit satellite constellation technology. Summary of the invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a method and system for optimizing the quantitative and mission planning of low-orbit satellite constellation tracking and control antennas to solve the problems raised in the above-mentioned background technology.

[0007] The present application discloses a method for optimizing quantitative measurement and mission planning of a low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna, including:

[0008] Step A: Determine the overall TT&C requirements of the LEO satellite constellation;

[0009] Step B: Calculate the potential satellite tracking and control arc according to the determined satellite constellation tracking and control requirements;

[0010] Step C: Based on the satellite's TT&C requirements and the allocated TT&C arcs, determine whether the TT&C requirements of each satellite in the satellite constellation are met to ensure that each satellite has obtained sufficient TT&C time to meet its TT&C requirements, and evaluate the satisfaction of the overall TT&C requirements to determine whether new antennas need to be added. If necessary, add corresponding antennas and allocate TT&C arcs based on the evaluation results and the satellite's potential TT&C arcs, thereby optimizing the antenna resources and TT&C arc allocation;

[0011] Step D: Based on the optimized antenna resources and tracking arc segment allocation, evaluate whether the tracking and control requirements of the low-orbit satellite constellation can be fully met. If so, balance the tracking and control arc segments of the internal antennas of each ground tracking and control station.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the step A comprises the following sub-steps:

[0013] Determining the measurement and control parameters of the satellite constellation according to the overall measurement and control requirements of the satellite constellation, wherein the measurement and control parameters include one or any combination of the following: the number of satellites, missions, measurement and control frequencies, and the connection requirements of the satellites with the ground measurement and control stations within a specific time period;

[0014] According to the tracking and control parameters, potential tracking and control arcs between the satellite and the tracking and control station are determined.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the step C comprises the following sub-steps:

[0016] Based on the satellite's TT&C requirements and the allocated TT&C arcs, determine whether the TT&C requirements of each satellite in the satellite constellation are met to ensure that each satellite has obtained sufficient TT&C time to meet its TT&C requirements, and evaluate the satisfaction of the overall TT&C requirements to determine whether new antennas need to be added; and

[0017] If the evaluation result shows that new antennas need to be added, the corresponding antennas are added and the measurement and control arcs are reallocated, thereby optimizing the allocation of antenna resources and measurement and control arcs.

[0018] In a preferred example, in the step of determining the potential tracking and control arc between the satellite and the tracking and control station based on the tracking and control parameters, the same satellite can only establish contact with one ground tracking and control station antenna at the same time.

[0019] In a preferred example, in the step of adding antennas and reallocating tracking arcs, a satellite is selected from the satellites that can be tracked and controlled according to the tracking and control coefficient of each satellite to establish a tracking and control link with the antenna, wherein a priority coefficient is calculated for each satellite:

[0020] Priority coefficient = C-(AB)

[0021] in:

[0022] A, represents the number of required tracking and control arcs of the satellite; B, represents the number of tracking and control arcs that the satellite has obtained; C, represents the number of tracking and control arcs that the satellite can currently select;

[0023] Furthermore, among the multiple satellites visible to the tracking and control station at the current time, the satellite with the smallest priority coefficient is selected to establish a tracking and control link with the tracking and control station.

[0024] The present application also discloses a low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantitative and mission planning system, including:

[0025] The measurement and control requirements determination module is used to determine the overall measurement and control requirements of the low-orbit satellite constellation;

[0026] A satellite potential tracking and control arc calculation module is used to calculate the satellite potential tracking and control arc according to the determined satellite constellation tracking and control requirements;

[0027] The TT&C resource evaluation and optimization module is used to determine whether the TT&C requirements of each satellite in the satellite constellation are met based on the TT&C requirements of the satellite and the allocated TT&C arcs, so as to ensure that each satellite has obtained sufficient TT&C time to meet its TT&C requirements, and to evaluate the satisfaction of the overall TT&C requirements to determine whether new antennas need to be added. If necessary, the corresponding antennas are added and TT&C arcs are allocated according to the evaluation results and the potential TT&C arcs of the satellite, so as to optimize the allocation of antenna resources and TT&C arcs;

[0028] The measurement and control demand satisfaction assessment and arc segment balancing module is used to evaluate whether the measurement and control needs of the low-orbit satellite constellation can be fully met based on the optimized antenna resources and measurement and control arc segment allocation. If so, the measurement and control arc segments of the internal antennas of each ground measurement and control station are balanced.

[0029] The present application also discloses a low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantitative and mission planning system, including:

[0030] a memory for storing computer executable instructions; and,

[0031] A processor is used to implement the steps in the method described above when executing the computer executable instructions.

[0032] The present application also discloses a computer-readable storage medium in which computer-executable instructions are stored. When the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor, the steps in the method described above are implemented.

[0033] In the embodiments of the present application, the measurement and control of low-orbit satellite constellations significantly improves the economic benefits, system efficiency and flexible adaptability of the measurement and control tasks. Specific beneficial effects include:

[0034] 1. Economic benefits and resource optimization:

[0035] 1.1 Maximizing the use of antenna resources: The present invention aims to use the smallest possible number of antennas to meet the measurement and control requirements of large low-orbit satellite constellations, thereby significantly reducing measurement and control costs.

[0036] 1.2 Cost reduction: It reduces the need to build new antennas due to the increase in measurement and control needs, saving capital investment.

[0037] 1.3 Efficiency improvement: This method ensures maximum utilization of antenna resources and improves the overall efficiency of the system.

[0038] 2. Overall planning and efficient scheduling:

[0039] For large-scale satellite constellations: When a large number of low-orbit satellites are involved, the scheduling of satellite measurement and control tasks becomes particularly complex. The present invention provides a method for overall planning and efficient scheduling to ensure that all measurement and control tasks are met, thereby improving overall operational efficiency and accuracy.

[0040] 3.Flexible adaptability and scalability:

[0041] 3.1 Modularity and secondary development: Modularity and flexibility were taken into consideration when designing this method, making it easy to carry out secondary development according to different measurement and control requirements.

[0042] 3.2 Adapting to the environment of dense satellite launches: This method demonstrates excellent adaptability and resilience, especially in scenarios where satellites are launched densely or require frequent adjustments.

[0043] In summary, when faced with the measurement and control tasks of large low-orbit satellite constellations, the present invention successfully achieves the high efficiency, economy and flexibility of the tasks through its unique method, bringing huge value to the measurement and control tasks in actual application scenarios.

[0044] A large number of technical features are recorded in the specification of this application, which are distributed in various technical solutions. If all possible combinations of technical features of this application (i.e., technical solutions) are to be listed, the specification will be too long. In order to avoid this problem, the various technical features disclosed in the above-mentioned invention content of this application, the various technical features disclosed in the various embodiments and examples below, and the various technical features disclosed in the accompanying drawings can be freely combined with each other to form various new technical solutions (these technical solutions should be deemed to have been recorded in this specification), unless the combination of such technical features is technically infeasible. For example, in one example, feature A+B+C is disclosed, and in another example, feature A+B+D+E is disclosed, and features C and D are equivalent technical means that play the same role. Technically, only one can be used, and it is impossible to use them at the same time. Feature E can be combined with feature C technically. Then, the solution of A+B+C+D should not be deemed to have been recorded because it is technically infeasible, and the solution of A+B+C+E should be deemed to have been recorded. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] Figure 1 It is a flowchart of a method for optimizing quantitative measurement and mission planning of a low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 2 It is a structural diagram of a low-orbit satellite constellation tracking and control antenna optimization quantification and mission planning system according to the second embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] In the following description, many technical details are provided to help readers better understand the present application. However, those skilled in the art can understand that the technical solution claimed in the present application can be implemented even without these technical details and various changes and modifications based on the following embodiments.

[0048] Description of some concepts:

[0049] Low Earth Orbit Satellite Constellation: A system consisting of multiple satellites operating in low orbit (usually at an altitude of 200-2,000 kilometers above the Earth's surface).

[0050] A ground control station is a ground or near-ground facility whose main function is to communicate with in-orbit satellites or other aerial tools to achieve control, data transmission and other operational tasks.

[0051] TT&C: refers to measurement and control, often used in aerospace to describe the process of communicating with a satellite, obtaining information about its status and controlling its behavior.

[0052] Tracking and control antenna: Ground equipment used for tracking and control communications with low-orbit satellites, responsible for receiving and sending signals.

[0053] The tracking and control arc is a specific communication time window between the ground tracking and control station and the in-orbit satellite. During this time period, the ground tracking and control station can successfully establish and maintain a communication connection with the satellite to carry out data transmission, satellite control or other related operations.

[0054] Tracking and control arc segment balance: ensure that the tracking and control time periods or spatial intervals between different antennas are distributed in a certain balanced state.

[0055] The following is a brief description of some of the innovative features of this application:

[0056] After in-depth research, the inventor of this application creatively proposed a technical solution for optimizing the quantitative measurement and task planning of low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antennas in response to the technical problems existing in the background technology, so as to solve the problem of the construction quantity index of ground measurement and control antennas of large low-orbit satellite constellations and the task allocation planning of the actual measurement and control stage of satellites. It includes the following steps: input the location of all ground measurement and control stations, the ephemeris of the satellite constellation and the measurement and control arc segment requirements of each satellite within one day; judge whether the measurement and control requirements of all satellites are met, if they are all met, the task planning is completed; if there are satellite measurement and control arc segments that are not fully met, select the corresponding ground measurement and control station to add a measurement and control antenna and assign measurement and control tasks to the antenna. After the task allocation is completed, the above judgment is performed again until the measurement and control arc segment requirements of all satellites are met. Therefore, this application can ensure that under the measurement and control requirements of a given large low-orbit satellite constellation, the measurement and control requirements are met with fewer ground antennas, and at the same time dispatch satellite and ground antenna resources, and plan the measurement and control tasks as a whole, which can adapt to the measurement and control planning requirements of large constellations when they are intensively launched and there are many satellites in orbit.

[0057] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the implementation methods of the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0058] The first embodiment of the present application relates to a method for optimizing quantitative measurement and task planning of a low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna, and the process is as follows: Figure 1 shown.

[0059] The steps of this embodiment include step 100 to step 500, wherein:

[0060] In steps 100 to 200, the overall TT&C requirements of the satellite constellation are determined, which are based on the satellite's operating mode, orbital parameters, and data transmission requirements. The above requirements are the prerequisite for determining the number of TT&C antennas and planning the TT&C arc. After determining these requirements, the potential TT&C arcs of the satellite are calculated to provide input for subsequent calculations.

[0061] In step 300 to step 400, based on the overall measurement and control requirements of the satellite constellation, it is evaluated whether the measurement and control requirements of the satellite constellation are met.

[0062] Through this evaluation, it can be determined whether new antennas need to be added. If necessary, the corresponding antennas are added and the measurement and control arcs are further allocated according to the evaluation results.

[0063] In step 500, the optimized antenna resources and TT&C arc segment allocation are used to evaluate whether the TT&C requirements of the low-orbit satellite constellation can be fully met. To ensure efficient use of resources, the TT&C arc segments of the antennas inside each ground TT&C station are further balanced.

[0064] Each step is described in detail below.

[0065] Step 100: Initialize measurement and control parameters

[0066] First, it is necessary to determine the measurement and control parameters of the satellite constellation based on the overall measurement and control requirements of the satellite constellation. The measurement and control parameters include one of the following or any combination thereof: the number of satellites, missions, measurement and control frequency, and the connection requirements of the satellite with the ground measurement and control station within a specific time period.

[0067] Specifically, in this step, the location information of the ground tracking and control station and the satellite constellation is provided, the tracking and control requirements are determined, and the elevation angle limit is set.

[0068] Among them, the location and distribution of the ground tracking and control station need to be given. The location information of the ground tracking and control station is the location information of all the tracking and control antennas of the tracking and control station; given the ephemeris of the satellite constellation, the position of any satellite at any time of the day can be calculated; given the tracking and control arc requirements of the satellite constellation in a day, the minimum elevation angle limit of the tracking and control task is given;

[0069] In this step, basic settings and preparations for the measurement and control tasks are performed, which may include the following:

[0070] (1) Provide ground tracking and control station information:

[0071] Enter the specific location and distribution of the ground tracking and control stations. The location information of each tracking and control station also indicates the geographical location of all tracking and control antennas in the station.

[0072] (2) Provide satellite constellation location information:

[0073] Given the ephemeris of a given satellite constellation, the exact position of any satellite can be calculated at any time of the day.

[0074] (3) Determine measurement and control requirements:

[0075] It is necessary to know the specific tracking and control arc requirements of the satellite constellation within a day. The specific tracking and control arc requirements indicate the number of tracking and control arcs required by different satellites in the satellite constellation and the shortest duration of each tracking and control arc.

[0076] (4) Set elevation angle limit:

[0077] In order to ensure the quality and accuracy of the tracking and control, the tracking and control mission will have a minimum elevation angle limit, which means that when the satellite's position is lower than this elevation angle, it will not be selected as a tracking and control target.

[0078] (5) Set the antenna task interval:

[0079] In order to ensure that the antenna can track the designated satellite in time, there needs to be a certain time interval between two adjacent measurement and control tasks of the same antenna. For example, if the satellite position changes greatly between two adjacent measurement and control tasks, such as crossing most areas of the sky, this requires the antenna to perform a large-angle mechanical rotation, and a transfer interval of 3-5 minutes needs to be reserved.

[0080] If the satellite position changes slightly between two adjacent measurements, with only a slight adjustment in azimuth or elevation, which only requires a small mechanical adjustment of the antenna, only a short interval of 1-2 minutes is required.

[0081] In this way, setting the maneuvering interval time according to the position change can ensure that the antenna can point to the next measurement and control satellite in a timely and accurate manner to complete the measurement and control mission.

[0082] In summary, step 100 provides necessary pre-information and conditions for subsequent measurement and control tasks, ensuring that the measurement and control tasks can be carried out according to actual conditions and requirements.

[0083] Step 200: Calculate the visibility and potential tracking links between the satellite and the ground tracking station

[0084] In this step, based on the measurement and control parameters, it is determined when a connection can be established between the satellite and the ground measurement and control station, so as to determine the potential measurement and control arc between the satellite and the measurement and control station.

[0085] Specifically, in order to ensure data transmission, it is necessary to clarify the mutual visibility between the ground tracking and control station and the satellite. The core of this step is to calculate when the satellite can be captured by which ground tracking and control station based on the position and elevation data, and determine these effective contact times to prepare for subsequent tracking and control tasks.

[0086] Optionally, step 200 further includes the following sub-steps:

[0087] Step 210: Calculate satellite positions

[0088] Using the satellite ephemeris, the position time series of each satellite in the constellation in the ground fixed system during the day is obtained, with a time resolution of 1s.

[0089] Step 220: Obtain elevation angle time series

[0090] Based on the satellite positions in step 210 and the geographical locations of the ground tracking and control stations, the elevation angle time series of each ground tracking and control station to each satellite is calculated.

[0091] Step 230: Determine satellite visibility

[0092] Only when the elevation angle of a satellite exceeds the set minimum elevation angle limit, it is considered to be "visible" to the ground tracking station at a specific time. According to this criterion, the elevation angle time series of step 220 is compared with the minimum elevation angle limit to obtain the visibility time series of each ground tracking station and each satellite.

[0093] Step 240: Filter out effective visible duration

[0094] Based on knowing when the satellite is "visible", the valid visible time intervals whose duration exceeds the set minimum visible time are further determined, and these time intervals are stored for subsequent use.

[0095] Step 250: Define potential measurement and control link time intervals

[0096] To ensure the continuity of data transmission, the same satellite can only establish contact with one ground tracking and control station antenna at the same time. According to the effective visible time intervals screened out in step 240, those time-overlapping intervals are integrated into a single time interval. For example, if the visible time interval of satellite A to ground station 1 is (01:00-01:15) and the visible time interval to ground station 2 is (01:10-01:20), then there is an overlap between 01:10-01:15 in these two time intervals, and the visible intervals of satellite A and ground stations 1 and 2 can be integrated into (01:00-01:30). In this way, the potential time intervals in which each satellite and the ground tracking and control station can establish a tracking and control link can be determined, and these interval information can be stored.

[0097] In this way, the potential time intervals during which each satellite can establish a tracking and control link with the ground tracking and control station can be determined, and the interval information can be stored.

[0098] Through the above five steps, the visibility between the ground tracking and control station and the satellite and the potential tracking and control link time interval are clarified, thus providing a solid foundation for the smooth progress of the entire tracking and control mission.

[0099] Step 300: Evaluate the satellite constellation's TT&C requirements

[0100] In this step, based on the satellite's TT&C requirements and the allocated TT&C arcs, it is determined whether the TT&C requirements of each satellite in the satellite constellation are met, to ensure that each satellite has obtained sufficient TT&C time to meet its TT&C requirements, and to evaluate the degree to which the overall TT&C requirements are met.

[0101] Optionally, step 300 further includes the following sub-steps:

[0102] Step 310: Verify satellite tracking requirements one by one

[0103] Step 310a: Traverse all satellites in the satellite constellation.

[0104] Step 310b: For each satellite, compare the number of tracking and control arcs that have been allocated to it with the designated number of tracking and control arcs.

[0105] Step 310c: If the number of arcs allocated to a satellite is equal to the specified number of tracking and control arcs, its tracking and control requirement is considered "satisfied"; if it is lower, its tracking and control requirement is "unsatisfied".

[0106] Step 320: Overall assessment of satellite constellation TT&C requirements

[0107] If the measurement and control requirements of any satellite are not met in step 310, the measurement and control requirements of the entire satellite constellation are considered "unmet".

[0108] If it is judged as "not satisfied", the process jumps to step 400 to add antennas and allocate measurement and control arc segments.

[0109] Step 330: Processing the situation where the measurement and control requirements have been met

[0110] If it is determined in step 320 that the tracking and control requirements of the entire satellite constellation are "satisfied", the tracking and control arc segment balancing step of the antenna in the tracking and control station is entered.

[0111] Ensure that each antenna in the measurement and control station can perform measurement and control tasks in a balanced manner.

[0112] The number of measurement and control antennas at this time is considered to be the minimum number to meet the overall measurement and control requirements.

[0113] In general, the goal of step 300 is to ensure that an appropriate amount of measurement and control time is provided to each satellite in the satellite constellation, and to appropriately adjust the configuration of the measurement and control equipment and the assignment of tasks based on the evaluation results.

[0114] Step 400: Adding tracking and control antennas and allocating tracking and control arcs

[0115] In this step, if the evaluation result shows that a new antenna needs to be added, the corresponding antenna is added and the measurement and control arc segments are reallocated, thereby optimizing the antenna resources and the measurement and control arc segment allocation.

[0116] Specifically, in order to meet the antenna resource requirements evaluated in step 300, this step describes in detail how to add tracking and control antennas to each ground tracking and control station and allocate tracking and control arcs to these antennas to ensure that the tracking and control requirements of each satellite are met.

[0117] In other words, this step aims to describe the strategy for adding TT&C antennas to ground TT&C stations and to allocate appropriate TT&C arcs to ensure that the TT&C requirements of each satellite are met.

[0118] Optionally, step 400 further includes the following sub-steps:

[0119] Step 410: Tracking and Control Station Cycle Strategy

[0120] Optionally, this step will systematically traverse all ground tracking and control stations to determine which stations are suitable for adding tracking and control antennas.

[0121] Furthermore, each round of traversal will evaluate the status of all tracking and control stations.

[0122] Step 420: Adding antennas and allocating arc segments

[0123] In this step, an antenna is added to the selected tracking and control station, and a tracking and control arc is allocated to the newly added antenna. Optionally, this step further includes the following sub-steps:

[0124] Step 421: Traversal of the satellite and antenna visibility sequence

[0125] Based on the satellite's orbital data, the system traverses and determines the time periods during which the antenna and the satellite can establish communication.

[0126] Step 422: Select the visible satellite set at the current time point

[0127] The system will determine which satellites are connectable to the antenna at the current time point. At this time, it is necessary to ensure that the time interval between two adjacent TT&C arcs of the current antenna meets the antenna mission interval. At the same time, if the visible satellite is visible to the current TT&C station from the current time point for longer than the shortest TT&C duration requirement, the arc with the shortest TT&C duration will be intercepted.

[0128] Step 423: Filter the satellite set that does not meet the measurement and control requirements

[0129] From the connectable satellites, the system will identify and select those whose telemetry requirements have not yet been met.

[0130] Step 424: Establishing a measurement and control link

[0131] From the satellites that can be measured and controlled, the system will select one according to the measurement and control coefficient of each satellite to establish a measurement and control link with the antenna. For example, from the satellites that can be measured and controlled, the system will select one according to the measurement and control coefficient of each satellite to establish a measurement and control link with the antenna. For example, a priority coefficient can be calculated for each satellite:

[0132] Priority coefficient = C-(AB)

[0133] in:

[0134] A represents the number of required tracking and control arcs of the satellite. This reflects the number of tracking and control arcs that the satellite needs to obtain.

[0135] B, represents the number of tracking and control arcs that the satellite has acquired. This reflects the number of arcs that the satellite has currently acquired.

[0136] C represents the number of tracking and control arcs that the satellite can currently select. C is the total number of visible arcs of the satellite minus the number of allocated arcs.

[0137] By comprehensively considering these variables and their weights, the current priority of each satellite can be reasonably determined, thereby guiding the rational allocation of measurement and control resources.

[0138] Then, among the multiple satellites visible to the tracking and control station at the current time, the satellite with the smallest priority coefficient is selected to establish a tracking and control link with the tracking and control station.

[0139] Here, the more arcs required for measurement and control, the more arcs obtained, the fewer alternative visible arcs, the smaller their priority coefficients, and the more likely they are to be selected to establish a measurement and control link.

[0140] In this way, multiple factors can be comprehensively considered, and the satellite that most needs measurement and control resources can be reasonably selected to achieve optimal allocation of measurement and control resources.

[0141] Step 430: Evaluate the antenna's usefulness

[0142] Optionally, if the newly added antenna is not assigned any tracking arc, it will be considered unnecessary and will be deleted.

[0143] Furthermore, the relevant tracking and control stations will be marked as "no more antennas will be added".

[0144] Step 440: Checking the degree of satisfaction of measurement and control requirements

[0145] Optionally, the system will determine whether the requirements of all satellites have been met based on the measurement and control requirements of the entire satellite constellation.

[0146] If all requirements are met, the process returns to step 300 ; otherwise, the system continues with arc segment allocation in step 420 .

[0147] Through step 400, the system ensures that appropriate antennas are added to the ground tracking and control stations and that appropriate tracking and control arcs are allocated to these antennas, thereby meeting the tracking and control requirements of each satellite.

[0148] The specific method of evaluating the satisfaction of the measurement and control requirements of the low-orbit satellite constellation is further explained below. According to the antennas added in step 400 and the allocated measurement and control arcs, it is evaluated whether the specified measurement and control requirements of the low-orbit satellite constellation can be met. This requires comprehensive consideration of the number of antennas of each measurement and control station, the allocation of measurement and control arcs, and the reliability of the connection between the satellite and the measurement and control station.

[0149] Specifically, assess whether a particular LEO satellite constellation can meet its specified tracking and control requirements with the support of all existing ground tracking and control stations.

[0150] Optional, the specific implementation process is:

[0151] (1) Based on the antenna allocation strategy of the ground tracking and control station and the satellite visibility sequence, the system begins to evaluate the tracking and control requirements of the low-orbit satellite constellation.

[0152] (2) If all ground tracking and control stations have been marked as "no more antennas" in step 400, and the tracking and control requirements are still not met, the process enters the next stage.

[0153] Optionally, the judgment condition is:

[0154] If all ground TT&C station antennas have been allocated and the TT&C requirements of the satellite constellation have not been met, the system deems the TT&C requirement to be unachievable.

[0155] Optionally, if the measurement and control requirements cannot be achieved, the entire evaluation process terminates. If the requirements are met, the process continues.

[0156] It should be noted that this step is a key decision point in the entire evaluation process. If the TT&C requirements of the low-orbit satellite constellation cannot be met with the support of all ground TT&C stations, it means that there is a mismatch between the existing ground TT&C station resources and the TT&C requirements. At this point, it may be necessary to reconsider the TT&C strategy or expand the resources of the ground TT&C stations.

[0157] Step 500: Balanced distribution of ground control station antenna control arcs

[0158] In this step, based on the optimized antenna resources and the distribution of the tracking and control arc segments, the tracking and control arc segments of the internal antennas of each ground tracking and control station are evenly distributed.

[0159] Specifically, according to the evaluation result in step 400, the tracking and control arcs of the internal antennas of each ground tracking and control station are evenly distributed. It is ensured that the difference in arc distribution between different antennas in a single station does not exceed 30%. Through traversal and adjustment, it is further ensured that the tracking and control arcs of all ground tracking and control stations are balanced.

[0160] Specifically, this step is used to ensure that the tracking and control arc segments of each antenna in each ground tracking and control station are allocated nearly equally, thereby maximizing the utilization of tracking and control station resources and improving system efficiency and resilience.

[0161] It should be pointed out that before taking this step, the measurement and control requirements of all low-orbit satellite constellations have been met, and the antenna of each ground measurement and control station has been allocated a certain number of measurement and control arcs.

[0162] Optionally, the balance in this step is defined as: within a single ground tracking and control station, the distribution difference between the antenna with the most tracking and control arcs and the antenna with the least tracking and control arcs shall not exceed 30%.

[0163] Optionally, the specific operation process of this step is as follows:

[0164] The system starts to traverse each ground tracking and control station;

[0165] For each site, check the differences in TT&C arc allocation between antennas;

[0166] If the station does not achieve tracking and control arc balance, the system will select the antenna with the most tracking and control arcs, select an arc from it, and then transfer it to the antenna with the least tracking and control arcs;

[0167] After the above adjustment, the number of arc segments of the antenna with the most arc segments is reduced, while the number of the antenna with the least arc segments is increased;

[0168] Repeat the above operation until the difference in the allocation of the tracking and control arc segments between all antennas in the ground tracking and control station reaches or is less than 30%;

[0169] Repeat the above process for all ground tracking and control stations until all stations achieve tracking and control arc balance.

[0170] Through this step, the system ensures that while meeting all satellite measurement and control requirements, the antennas inside all ground measurement and control stations can equally or approximately equally distribute the measurement and control arcs, thereby maximizing resource utilization and enhancing the overall efficiency and resilience of the system.

[0171] It should be noted that when performing balanced allocation, the minimum interval time between two adjacent measurement and control tasks of the antenna needs to be met to ensure that the antenna has enough time to adjust its position and thus smoothly establish the next measurement and control link. Only when the interval between adjacent measurement and control tasks is met can the arc be adjusted and balanced.

[0172] Optionally, before transferring the arc segment, check whether the adjustment meets the minimum interval time of adjacent measurement and control tasks; if the interval time requirement is met, the arc segment is transferred; otherwise, the adjustment attempt is abandoned.

[0173] Through the above method, under the premise of meeting the measurement and control task interval, the system achieves balanced arc segment allocation, ensures maximum utilization of resources, and enhances the overall efficiency and resilience of the system.

[0174] In summary, from step 100 to step 500, this embodiment starts from determining the overall measurement and control requirements, and gradually refines the measurement and control arc segment allocation of each ground measurement and control station and its antenna to ensure that the measurement and control requirements of the entire system are met.

[0175] Technical effect:

[0176] The present invention is aimed at the measurement and control of low-orbit satellite constellations, significantly improving the economic benefits, system efficiency and flexible adaptability of measurement and control tasks. Specific beneficial effects include:

[0177] 1. Economic benefits and resource optimization:

[0178] Maximizing the use of antenna resources: The present invention aims to use the smallest possible number of antennas to meet the measurement and control requirements of large low-orbit satellite constellations, thereby significantly reducing measurement and control costs.

[0179] Cost reduction: It reduces the need to build new antennas due to the increase in measurement and control needs, saving capital investment.

[0180] Efficiency improvement: This method ensures maximum utilization of antenna resources and improves the overall efficiency of the system.

[0181] 2. Overall planning and efficient scheduling:

[0182] For large-scale satellite constellations: When a large number of low-orbit satellites are involved, the scheduling of satellite measurement and control tasks becomes particularly complex. The present invention provides a method for overall planning and efficient scheduling to ensure that all measurement and control tasks are met, thereby improving overall operational efficiency and accuracy.

[0183] 3.Flexible adaptability and scalability:

[0184] Modularity and secondary development: Modularity and flexibility were taken into consideration when designing this method, making it easy to carry out secondary development according to different measurement and control requirements.

[0185] Adapting to the environment of intensive satellite launches: This method demonstrates excellent adaptability and resilience, especially in scenarios where satellites are launched intensively or require frequent adjustments.

[0186] In summary, when faced with the measurement and control tasks of large low-orbit satellite constellations, the present invention successfully achieves the high efficiency, economy and flexibility of the tasks through its unique method, bringing huge value to the measurement and control tasks in actual application scenarios.

[0187] In order to better understand the technical solution of the present application, a specific example is provided below for illustration. The details listed in the example are mainly for ease of understanding and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application.

[0188] In the quantitative optimization and mission planning method for the low-orbit satellite constellation tracking and control antenna of this example, the ground tracking and control stations calculate their respective elevation angles relative to all satellites in the satellite constellation, generate visibility time series of all ground tracking and control stations and all satellites in the low-orbit satellite constellation, and store a set of valid visibility intervals for all satellites.

[0189] The satellite constellation determines whether its current measurement and control requirements have been met. If not, a ground measurement and control station is selected to add a measurement and control antenna, and measurement and control tasks are assigned to the antenna. At the same time, the assigned tasks are stored in the corresponding satellite data structure. If the number of measurement and control arcs assigned to the newly added antenna is 0, the antenna is removed, and the measurement and control station where the antenna is located is marked as no longer adding measurement and control antennas.

[0190] Optionally, after the TT&C tasks of the newly added TT&C antennas are assigned, the satellite constellation determines again whether its own TT&C requirements have been met. This cycle continues until the satellite constellation determines that the TT&C requirements have been met or all ground TT&C stations are marked as not adding TT&C antennas.

[0191] Optionally, if all TT&C stations are marked as not adding TT&C antennas, it means that a given ground station cannot meet the TT&C requirements of a given satellite constellation.

[0192] When the satellite constellation determines that its own measurement and control needs have been met, the current number of measurement and control antennas at each measurement and control station is the minimum number of antennas required. Each measurement and control station will balance the measurement and control tasks of its own configured antennas to balance the measurement and control load of each antenna.

[0193] Optionally, in this example, each ground tracking station needs to store a sequence of valid visible intervals for all satellites, and each satellite needs to store a sequence of valid visible intervals for all tracking stations. The tracking station calculates the position of the satellite at any epoch based on the satellite ephemeris and calculates the elevation angle. When the elevation angle is greater than a given limit, the satellite is considered to be visible to the tracking station at the current epoch. If the satellite is visible to the tracking station, the tracking station is visible to the satellite. When the continuous visible epoch is greater than a given duration, the interval is a valid visible interval. The visibility of an antenna to the satellite constellation is the same as the visibility of the tracking station where the antenna is located.

[0194] Optionally, in this example, a tracking arc needs to be assigned to the newly added antenna. The following criteria must be met for the antenna to establish a tracking arc with the satellite:

[0195] C1. The TT&C antenna can only establish a TT&C link with a satellite within a valid visible range, and the satellite can only establish a TT&C link with a TT&C station within a valid visible range;

[0196] C2. A tracking and control antenna can establish a tracking and control link with at most one satellite at a time, and a satellite can establish a tracking and control link with at most one antenna at a time.

[0197] When allocating a measurement and control arc segment to a newly added antenna, the effective visible interval of the antenna is traversed from the time starting from the calculated satellite orbit start epoch and ending at the satellite orbit end epoch. Satellites that have a valid visible interval with the antenna at the current moment, whose measurement and control arc segment requirements have not been met and whose measurement and control links can be established in the valid visible interval are potential measurement and control satellites. If the number of potential measurement and control satellites is 0 at the current moment. Increment the current moment by 1 and search for potential measurement and control satellites again. If there is a measurement and control satellite at the current moment, select the satellite to establish a measurement and control link, and increase the length of the newly added arc segment and the corresponding time of the adjacent tasks of the antenna at the current moment. When the traversal is completed, if the number of measurement and control arc segments allocated to the newly added antenna is 0, remove the measurement and control antenna, and mark the measurement and control station as no longer adding measurement and control antennas.

[0198] Optionally, in this example, if there are multiple potential tracking and control satellites for the newly added antenna in a certain epoch, the antenna can only select one satellite from them to establish a tracking and control link in this epoch. The basis for selecting the satellite is the tracking and control coefficient. The tracking and control coefficient of each satellite is calculated, and any satellite with the smallest tracking and control coefficient is the satellite that establishes the tracking and control link for the antenna in the current epoch. The tracking and control coefficient, that is, the priority coefficient mentioned above, is defined as Coe=C-(AB), where C represents the number of tracking and control arcs currently selectable by the satellite, A is the number of tracking and control arcs required for the satellite, and B is the number of tracking and control arcs already allocated to the satellite.

[0199] Optionally, in this example, it is necessary to balance the number of antennas between the measurement and control stations as required. At the same time, it is necessary to balance the number of measurement and control arcs of the antennas inside the measurement and control stations to balance the measurement and control antenna load. The balance between the measurement and control stations is achieved by the order in which the new antennas are added to the measurement and control stations. When adding a new antenna, all ground measurement and control stations are traversed once, which is a measurement and control station cycle. Enter the measurement and control station cycle, and select the visited ground measurement and control stations as the target measurement and control stations for adding measurement and control antennas in turn. The measurement and control arc segment balancing of the antennas inside the measurement and control station is carried out after the addition of new antennas is completed and the measurement and control requirements of the satellite constellation have been met. Randomly select the arc segment of the antenna with the largest number of measurement and control arc segments currently allocated in the measurement and control station, and transfer it to the antenna with the least number of measurement and control arc segments currently allocated. Repeat the above operation until the number of measurement and control arc segments allocated to all antennas in the station is balanced.

[0200] The second embodiment of the present application relates to a low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantitative and mission planning system, the structure of which is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantitative and mission planning system includes:

[0201] The measurement and control requirements determination module is used to determine the overall measurement and control requirements of the low-orbit satellite constellation;

[0202] A satellite potential tracking and control arc calculation module is used to calculate the satellite potential tracking and control arc according to the determined satellite constellation tracking and control requirements;

[0203] The TT&C resource evaluation and optimization module is used to determine whether the TT&C requirements of each satellite in the satellite constellation are met based on the TT&C requirements of the satellite and the allocated TT&C arcs, so as to ensure that each satellite has obtained sufficient TT&C time to meet its TT&C requirements, and to evaluate the satisfaction of the overall TT&C requirements to determine whether new antennas need to be added. If necessary, the corresponding antenna addition and TT&C arc allocation are carried out according to the evaluation results, so as to optimize the allocation of antenna resources and TT&C arcs;

[0204] The measurement and control demand satisfaction assessment and arc segment balancing module is used to evaluate whether the measurement and control needs of the low-orbit satellite constellation can be fully met based on the optimized antenna resources and measurement and control arc segment allocation. If so, the measurement and control arc segments of the internal antennas of each ground measurement and control station are balanced.

[0205] The first implementation manner is a method implementation manner corresponding to the present implementation manner. The technical details in the first implementation manner can be applied to the present implementation manner, and the technical details in the present implementation manner can also be applied to the first implementation manner.

[0206] It should be noted that those skilled in the art should understand that the implementation functions of each module shown in the implementation method of the above-mentioned low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantitative and task planning system can be understood by referring to the relevant description of the above-mentioned low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantitative and task planning method. The functions of each module shown in the implementation method of the above-mentioned low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantitative and task planning system can be implemented by a program (executable instruction) running on a processor, or by a specific logic circuit. If the above-mentioned low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantitative and task planning system in the embodiment of the present application is implemented in the form of a software function module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application can be essentially or partly reflected in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium, including several instructions for a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the methods described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: U disk, mobile hard disk, read-only memory (ROM, Read Only Memory), disk or CD-ROM and other media that can store program code. Thus, embodiments of the present application are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software.

[0207] Accordingly, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer storage medium, in which computer executable instructions are stored. When the computer executable instructions are executed by a processor, the various method embodiments of the present application are implemented.

[0208] In addition, the embodiments of the present application also provide a low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantitative and mission planning system, which includes a memory for storing computer executable instructions, and a processor; the processor is used to implement the steps in the above-mentioned method implementation methods when executing the computer executable instructions in the memory. Among them, the processor can be a central processing unit (Central Processing Unit, referred to as "CPU"), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (Digital Signal Processor, referred to as "DSP"), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (Application Specific Integrated Circuit, referred to as "ASIC"), etc. The aforementioned memory can be a read-only memory (read-only memory, referred to as "ROM"), a random access memory (random access memory, referred to as "RAM"), a flash memory (Flash), a hard disk or a solid-state hard disk, etc. The steps of the method disclosed in each embodiment of the present invention can be directly embodied as being executed by a hardware processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor.

[0209] It should be noted that in the application documents of this patent, relational terms such as first and second are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that the process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "including one" do not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the elements. In the application documents of this patent, if it is mentioned that an action is performed according to an element, it means that the action is performed at least according to the element, which includes two situations: performing the action only according to the element, and performing the action according to the element and other elements. Expressions such as multiple, multiple, and multiple include 2, 2 times, 2 kinds, and more than 2, more than 2 times, and more than 2 kinds.

[0210] All documents mentioned in this application are considered to be included in the disclosure of this application as a whole, so that they can be used as the basis for modification when necessary. In addition, it should be understood that after reading the above disclosure of this application, those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications to this application, and these equivalent forms also fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing quantitative measurement and mission planning of low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antennas, characterized in that: include: Step A: Determine the overall TT&C requirements of the LEO satellite constellation; Step B: Calculate the potential satellite tracking and control arc according to the determined satellite constellation tracking and control requirements; Step C: Based on the satellite's TT&C requirements and the allocated TT&C arcs, determine whether the TT&C requirements of each satellite in the satellite constellation are met to ensure that each satellite has obtained sufficient TT&C time to meet its TT&C requirements, and evaluate the satisfaction of the overall TT&C requirements to determine whether new antennas need to be added. If necessary, add corresponding antennas and allocate TT&C arcs based on the evaluation results and the satellite's potential TT&C arcs, thereby optimizing the antenna resources and TT&C arc allocation; Step D: Based on the optimized antenna resources and tracking arc segment allocation, evaluate whether the tracking and control requirements of the low-orbit satellite constellation can be fully met. If so, balance the tracking and control arc segments of the internal antennas of each ground tracking and control station.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The step A comprises the following sub-steps: Determining the measurement and control parameters of the satellite constellation according to the overall measurement and control requirements of the satellite constellation, wherein the measurement and control parameters include one or any combination of the following: the number of satellites, missions, measurement and control frequencies, and the connection requirements of the satellites with the ground measurement and control stations within a specific time period; According to the tracking and control parameters, potential tracking and control arcs between the satellite and the tracking and control station are determined.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The step C comprises the following sub-steps: Based on the satellite's TT&C requirements and the allocated TT&C arcs, determine whether the TT&C requirements of each satellite in the satellite constellation are met to ensure that each satellite has obtained sufficient TT&C time to meet its TT&C requirements, and evaluate the satisfaction of the overall TT&C requirements to determine whether new antennas need to be added; as well as If the evaluation result shows that new antennas need to be added, the corresponding antennas are added and the measurement and control arcs are reallocated, thereby optimizing the allocation of antenna resources and measurement and control arcs.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that In the step of determining the potential tracking and control arc between the satellite and the tracking and control station according to the tracking and control parameters, the same satellite can only establish contact with one ground tracking and control station antenna at the same time.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that In the step of adding antennas and reallocating tracking and control arcs, a satellite is selected from the satellites that can be tracked and controlled according to the tracking and control coefficient of each satellite to establish a tracking and control link with the antenna, wherein a priority coefficient is calculated for each satellite: Priority coefficient = C-(AB) in: A, represents the number of required tracking and control arcs of the satellite; B, represents the number of tracking and control arcs that the satellite has obtained; C, represents the number of tracking and control arcs that the satellite can currently select; Furthermore, among the multiple satellites visible to the tracking and control station at the current time, the satellite with the smallest priority coefficient is selected to establish a tracking and control link with the tracking and control station.

6. A low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantitative and mission planning system, characterized in that: include: The measurement and control requirements determination module is used to determine the overall measurement and control requirements of the low-orbit satellite constellation; A satellite potential tracking and control arc calculation module is used to calculate the satellite potential tracking and control arc according to the determined satellite constellation tracking and control requirements; The TT&C resource evaluation and optimization module is used to determine whether the TT&C requirements of each satellite in the satellite constellation are met based on the TT&C requirements of the satellite and the allocated TT&C arcs, so as to ensure that each satellite has obtained sufficient TT&C time to meet its TT&C requirements, and to evaluate the satisfaction of the overall TT&C requirements to determine whether new antennas need to be added. If necessary, the corresponding antennas are added and TT&C arcs are allocated according to the evaluation results and the satellite's potential TT&C arcs, so as to optimize the allocation of antenna resources and TT&C arcs; The measurement and control demand satisfaction assessment and arc segment balancing module is used to evaluate whether the measurement and control needs of the low-orbit satellite constellation can be fully met based on the optimized antenna resources and measurement and control arc segment allocation. If so, the measurement and control arc segments of the internal antennas of each ground measurement and control station are balanced.

7. A low-orbit satellite constellation measurement and control antenna optimization quantitative and mission planning system, characterized in that: include: A memory for storing computer executable instructions; as well as, A processor, configured to implement the steps in the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 when executing the computer executable instructions.

8. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, and when the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor, the steps in the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 are implemented.

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