JP2516879B2 - How to launch multiple satellites - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for launching a plurality of artificial satellites mounted on a single rocket and launched simultaneously into a plurality of target orbits having different orbital planes in inertial space. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A system for communication and navigation using a plurality of artificial satellites orbiting the earth is
It is necessary to launch a plurality of artificial satellites into different orbits, that is, in different orbits with different ascending node RAs. Since an expensive rocket is required to launch an artificial satellite, it is necessary to launch multiple artificial satellites by a simultaneous launch method in which multiple artificial satellites are loaded on a single rocket for efficient use of the rocket. Will be needed.

However, due to the simultaneous launch method,
In order to insert a plurality of artificial satellites into orbits of different orbital planes in the inertial space, if the orbital planes are significantly different, the simultaneous launch method is considered to be difficult, and is hardly implemented. Also, when adopting this simultaneous launch method by force, after the first artificial satellite is put into the target orbit or the transition orbit to the target orbit, the propulsion system of the rocket or artificial satellite is used to In order to put the artificial satellite into the target orbit or the transition orbit to the target orbit, the propulsion system of the rocket or artificial satellite performs orbit control for converting the orbital plane and reaches the target orbit or the transition orbit to the target orbit. The method of letting is taken.

[0004]

However, the launch method for controlling the orbital plane to change the orbital plane requires a large amount of fuel for the propulsion system mounted on the rocket or the artificial satellite, so that the artificial orbiter to reach the target orbit is required. There is the problem that the mass of the satellite must be sacrificed.

In order to increase the mass of the artificial satellite that can reach the target orbit and improve the performance of the artificial satellite,
The fuel for the rocket or artificial satellite propulsion system, which is required for the orbital control for converting the orbital plane, must be eliminated or reduced as much as possible.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional simultaneous launch method, and it is possible to reduce the fuel consumption of the propulsion system for the orbit control required for the orbit conversion. The purpose is to provide a satellite launch method.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 has a plurality of artificial satellites mounted on a single rocket and launched at the same time so that a plurality of artificial satellites are orbited in an inertial space. In a method of launching a plurality of artificial satellites to be injected into different target orbits, a plurality of artificial satellites are injected into a common parking orbit (standby orbit) having a smaller orbit length than the target orbit or different parking orbits for each artificial satellite. Having steps and, when the orbital plane of the parking orbit coincides with the orbital planes of each of the plurality of target orbits due to the flat power of the earth, each artificial satellite on the parking orbit is thrown into each of the target orbits. Is.

The invention according to claim 2 is a method for launching a plurality of artificial satellites, wherein a plurality of artificial satellites mounted on a single rocket and simultaneously launched are injected into a target orbit of an orbital plane in an inertial space. The orbital plane of the parking orbit is different for each purpose due to the step of inserting multiple artificial satellites into a common parking orbit with a smaller orbit length than the orbit or different parking orbits with each artificial satellite, and the repulsive force due to the flat shape of the earth. When matching the orbital plane of the transition orbit to the orbit, the method has the steps of respectively putting each artificial satellite on the parking orbit into each transitional orbit and shifting each artificial satellite on each transitional orbit to each target orbit. It is a thing.

In the launch method having such steps, first, a plurality of artificial satellites launched at the same time are placed in a parking orbit common to each artificial satellite or a different parking orbit having an orbit length shorter than the target orbit. To be done. At this time, the speed at which the orbital surface rotates around the axis of rotation of the earth due to the repulsive force due to the flat shape of the earth is inversely proportional to the square of the orbital radius. Therefore, the smaller the track length is, the greater the repulsive force acts on the parking track, and the faster the track surface rotates in the inertial space. Wait until the orbital plane of the parking orbit of each artificial satellite matches and overlaps the orbital plane of the target orbit of each artificial satellite or the transition orbit to the target orbit, and the orbit by the propulsion system of each artificial satellite. In-plane orbit control (control to change the size and shape of the orbit by changing the velocity parallel to the orbit plane) is performed, and each artificial satellite is injected into the target orbit or a transition orbit to the target orbit. When each artificial satellite is thrown into the transition orbit to the target orbit, the artificial satellite is further thrown into each target orbit from each transition orbit. In this way, each satellite can be injected into the target orbit or a transition orbit to the target orbit by using the repulsive power based on the flat shape of the earth and the orbital control in the orbital plane. It is not necessary to carry out orbit control involving surface conversion, and fuel in the propulsion system can be significantly reduced.

[0010]

EXAMPLES Next, examples will be described. Prior to the description of the embodiment, the main orbital elements of the artificial satellite will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, 1 is the earth, 2 is the equatorial plane, and 3 is the orbital plane of the artificial satellite 4. The main orbital elements of the artificial satellite 4 are the orbital diameter R, the orbital inclination angle (the angle between the orbital plane 3 and the equatorial plane 2) i, the ascending node equatorial line (on the equatorial plane 2 from the equinox γ to the ascending node 5). ) Ω, and the orbital inclination angle i and the ascending point red diameter Ω define the orbital plane in the inertial space. The X-axis shows the vernal equinox direction, and the Z-axis shows the earth rotation axis direction.

Next, specific examples will be described. Fig. 2 shows two circular target orbits A with different orbital planes with orbital inclination angle i = 45 degrees, altitude 10000 km, and ascending node red diameter Ω deviated by 90 degrees.
It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the Example which throws in two artificial satellites S1 and S2 launched by the simultaneous launch method to 1 and A2. Target trajectories A1 and A2 in this embodiment
Each orbital plane of the Earth has a rotational speed of approximately 0.2 degrees per day
It rotates around the rotation axis Z of. The target trajectories A1 and A2 in this embodiment are circular trajectories with a trajectory inclination angle i of 45 degrees, but since the target trajectory A1 and A2 are shown in the top view as seen from the Z-axis direction, the target trajectories A1 and A2 are elliptical. 5-1 and 5-2 indicate ascending points, respectively. Also,
Hereinafter, similarly, all the operation explanatory diagrams will be represented by a top view.

To set the target orbits A1 and A2 as described above, as a first step, as shown in FIG. 3, two artificial satellites S1 and S2 are parked at an orbital inclination angle of 45 degrees and an altitude of 500 km. A single rocket is put into orbit P at the same time. The orbital plane of the parking orbit P rotates about the rotation axis Z of the earth 1 at a rate of about 4 degrees per day due to the repulsive force due to the flat shape of the earth.

Next, as a second step, due to the difference between the rotation speeds of the parking track P and the target tracks A1 and A2 about the rotation axis Z, the track surface of the parking track P becomes the first target track as shown in FIG. When approaching so as to be flush with the orbital plane of A1, the first to be put into the first target orbit A1
In-plane orbit control (acceleration) using the propulsion system of artificial satellite S1
Then, the first artificial satellite S1 is put into the transition orbit A1 ′ to the first target orbit A1. And the first target trajectory A
When the apogee a1 of the transition orbit A1 ′ on the first position is reached, the second acceleration is performed to make the first artificial satellite S1 reach the first target orbit A1. It should be noted that by adjusting the execution timing of the trajectory control for reaching the first target trajectory A1 from the parking trajectory P from the parking trajectory P, basically, the target trajectory A1 is reached only by the trajectory control in the track plane. You can

Next, as a third step, as shown in FIG.
When the track surface of the parking track P approaches the track surface of the second target track A2 (in this embodiment, from the second stage about
25 days later), in the same procedure as in the second stage, the second artificial satellite S
2 is input to the transition orbit A2 ′ to the second target orbit A2,
When the apogee a2 of the transition trajectory A2 'on the second target trajectory A2 is reached, the second speed increase is performed and the second target trajectory A2 can be reached. As a result, the injection of the two artificial satellites S1 and S2 launched by the simultaneous launch method into the target circular orbits A1 and A2 in which the ascending node red diameter Ω is deviated by 90 degrees is completed.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the target orbit and the parking orbit are circular orbits has been described. However, these orbits do not necessarily have to be circular orbits, and the elliptic orbit is also used to further reduce fuel. However, the artificial satellite can be put into the target orbit. That is, when the target orbit is an elliptical orbit and the perigee is on the parking orbit, each artificial satellite can be directly injected into the target orbit by one speed increase control at the perigee on the parking orbit. This corresponds to the case where the transition trajectories A1 'and A2' in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 or 5 are the target trajectories.

In the above embodiment, the case where two artificial satellites are put into different target orbits is shown, but three or more artificial satellites can be put into different target orbits in the same manner. Further, in the above embodiment, the two artificial satellites are put into the common parking orbit at the first stage. However, the two artificial satellites are put into different parking orbits, and the respective parking orbits are put into different parking orbits. It is also possible to input each to the target orbit.

[0017]

As described above on the basis of the embodiments,
According to the present invention, a plurality of artificial satellites by the simultaneous launch method can be used to control the target orbits of different orbital planes in inertial space without performing out-of-plane orbital control to change the orbital planes that require a large amount of fuel. It is possible to make the injection by the inner orbit control, and it is possible to increase the mass of the artificial satellite that can reach the target orbit.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view for explaining an orbital element of an artificial satellite.

FIG. 2 shows the red diameter of the ascending node for explaining the embodiment of the present invention.
It is a top view which shows two circular target orbits which are different from each other by 90 °.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the first stage of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the second stage of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the third stage of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 earth 2 equatorial plane 3 orbital plane of artificial satellite 4 artificial satellite 5 ascending node A1 first target orbit A2 second target orbit A1 'transition orbit to first target orbit A2' transition to second target orbit Orbit P Parking orbit S1 First artificial satellite S2 Second artificial satellite a1, a2 Apogee

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method of launching a plurality of artificial satellites mounted on a single rocket and launched simultaneously into a plurality of target orbits having different orbital planes in an inertial space, wherein an orbit length longer than the target orbit. , The step of inserting multiple artificial satellites into a common parking orbit or different parking orbits for each artificial satellite, and the repulsive force due to the flat shape of the earth make the orbital plane of the parking orbital multiple orbits of each target orbit. And a method of launching each of the artificial satellites on the parking orbit into each of the target orbits. 2. A method of launching a plurality of artificial satellites, each of which is mounted on a single rocket and launched simultaneously into a plurality of target orbits of different orbital planes in inertial space, wherein an orbital length is longer than the target orbit. , A step of inserting multiple artificial satellites into a common parking orbit or different parking orbits of each artificial satellite, and the orbital surface of the parking orbit to multiple target orbits due to the repulsive force due to the flat shape of the earth. When the satellites on the parking orbit coincide with the orbital plane of the orbit, each artificial satellite on the orbiting parking space is put into each transitional orbit, and each artificial orbiting satellite on each transitional orbit is transferred to each target orbit. How to launch multiple satellites.