Studies of zenith pass tracing of the inter‐satellite linkage antenna based on mechanical tilting
Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology
ISSN: 0002-2667
Article publication date: 23 January 2009
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a feasible method to solve the zenith pass problem that can occur when the inter‐satellite linkage antenna of the user satellite is tracing TDRS. The antenna uses the elevation‐over‐azimuth architecture.
Design/methodology/approach
The movement laws of the inter‐satellite linkage can be obtained based on the orbit predictions of the user satellite and TDRS. According to the movement laws, the zenith pass moments and blindness zones are found. The trajectory preprocessor is provided to design a command trajectory for driving the axis of the tilting mechanism.
Findings
In the worst situation, the blindness zone can appear once every half day. Three special orbit altitude values are obtained. When the user satellite picks one of them as its orbit altitude, the blindness zone may be avoided forever. The zenith pass tracing strategies based on the mechanical tilting method have been designed.
Research limitations/implications
This method obtains the stable tracking during the zenith pass course by changing the hardware structure of the antenna. It is too expensive and can influence the pointing precision of the antenna.
Practical implications
The research can help the engineers analyze and solve the zenith pass problem of the antenna.
Originality/value
This paper studies the zenith pass problem that can occur when the inter‐satellite linkage antenna of the user satellite is tracing TDRS and provides a solving method.
Keywords
Citation
kun, Z. and Di, Y. (2009), "Studies of zenith pass tracing of the inter‐satellite linkage antenna based on mechanical tilting", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 81 No. 2, pp. 118-122. https://doi.org/10.1108/00022660910941802
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited