Acta Astronautica最新文献

{"title":"Hierarchical hybrid event-triggered neural control for air-bearing robot formation with prescribed performance and collision avoidance","authors":"Weilun Zhang ,&nbsp;Guan Wang ,&nbsp;Hongwei Xia ,&nbsp;Guangcheng Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper proposes a hierarchical adaptive control architecture with flexible prescribed performance for consensus tracking in air bearing robots (ABR) formations under constrained communications and external disturbances. A hierarchical control framework is proposed, which interconnects leaders and followers through a virtual system, preventing collisions among air-bearing robots through upper-layer prescribed performance parameter design while blocking mutual propagation of disturbance or fault signals. To address unmeasurable velocity and unknown disturbances, a novel neural network based extended state observer is synthesized, which using one algebraic iteration as the iterative learning algorithm to reduce computational complexity. Furthermore, a saturation threshold hybrid triggering strategy with transient performance guarantees is proposed, effectively reducing communication overhead by 48% while preventing actuator saturation-induced fragility in multi-constraint scenarios. Theoretical analysis guarantees system stability, and experimental results demonstrate the method’s effectiveness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"238 ","pages":"Pages 443-459"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145096641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic analysis and optimization design of ignition attitude for an internally carried air-launch rocket","authors":"Yujian Du,&nbsp;Weiliang He,&nbsp;Yi Feng,&nbsp;Wenying Zeng,&nbsp;Mengqun Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.08.039","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.08.039","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper focuses on the dynamic analysis and optimization design of the ignition attitude, which characterizes the motion of an internally carried air-launch (ICAL) rocket from separation to ignition. Mismatches in the ICAL system parameters or initially loose constraints can result in an inappropriate ignition attitude that poses significant risks to both the carrier aircraft and the rocket. A three-body quaternion dynamic model is developed to describe the ignition attitude of the ICAL, with the mechanical properties of the bridle reformulated using a Y-shaped distributed mass–spring-damping model. The Runge–Kutta–Munthe–Kaas (RKMK) quaternion integration method is employed to circumvent explicit algebraic constraints and differential algebraic equations (DAEs) while solving the three-body dynamics. To attain the desired ignition attitude and eliminate failure modes, the ICAL parameter design is formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem. The Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II) is then used to determine the optimal ignition attitude and design variables under constraints on ignition condition, bridle deformation and tension conditions. Simulation results from the proposed dynamic model exhibit trends consistent with the T/Space second test data, where the nose-up motion peaks and the pitch angle subsequently oscillates around maximum after the parachute release. Among three failure modes examined, insufficient damping and initial slack of the bridle lead to oscillations and recurrent transient losses in tension, while parameters mismatches cause bridle deformations to exceed acceptable limits. By balancing the three objectives, the optimization identifies the optimal design that features an ignition pitch angle closer to 90°, less altitude loss, and more stable oscillations with weak attenuation. As a result, the optimization meets the ignition attitude requirement of the ICAL and effectively avoids the third failure mode.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"238 ","pages":"Pages 351-368"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145096634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Super-Resolution YOLO Object Detection for Maritime Surveillance with Real-Time FPGA Processing Onboard Spacecraft","authors":"Giovanni Maria Capuano ,&nbsp;Salvatore Capuozzo ,&nbsp;Antonio G.M. Strollo ,&nbsp;Nicola Petra","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate vessel detection and timely information extraction from optical remote sensing imagery are essential for a wide range of maritime surveillance operations, both civilian and defense-related. These include vessel tracking, unauthorized fishing, illegal migration monitoring, and search and rescue missions. Although artificial intelligence (AI) is a key component for achieving reliable and accurate detection in satellite imagery, traditional AI-based remote sensing methodologies rely on ground-based image processing. This dependence leads to significant delays between data acquisition and the generation of actionable insights, which may hinder rapid decision-making during critical maritime situations such as sea disasters. To address this challenge, we propose a novel hardware design based on the Microchip PolarFire System-on-Chip for low-power, real-time vessel detection onboard spacecraft. Our design integrates the FPGA-based CoreVectorBlox engine to accelerate the inference process of SR-YOLOv5s—an enhanced object detection framework built upon YOLOv5s. This detector incorporates a single image super-resolution backbone that allows the extraction of fine details and features of small targets of interest, thus improving detection performance. Experimental results demonstrate that SR-YOLOv5s consistently outperforms the baseline YOLOv5s framework in vessel detection. The model provides high accuracy in detecting very small targets (area <span><math><mrow><mo>≤</mo><mn>7</mn><mo>×</mo><mn>7</mn></mrow></math></span> pixels), achieving a <em>mAP50</em> of 0.4658 compared to 0.2832—an absolute improvement of 18.26 percentage points. When deployed on the PolarFire FPGA, the end-to-end pipeline sustains real-time operation with an inference latency of 55 ms per frame and an average dynamic power consumption below 1.2 W. These results confirm the suitability of our approach for power-constrained onboard processing and demonstrate its effectiveness as a solution for low-latency alert generation in maritime surveillance through edge-based analysis of Earth observation imagery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"238 ","pages":"Pages 1291-1310"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145267792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physics-informed orbit determination for X-GEO space situational awareness","authors":"Andrea Scorsoglio ,&nbsp;Andrea D’Ambrosio ,&nbsp;Lucille Le Corre ,&nbsp;Bill Gray ,&nbsp;Vishnu Reddy ,&nbsp;Roberto Furfaro","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing number of artificial space objects launched in the X-GEO region poses a new challenge for the space situational awareness. The need of having accurate observations and performing precise orbit determination of those objects is becoming critical to build and maintain a X-GEO space catalog. For this reason, this paper adapts the physics-informed orbit determination (PIOD) technique to X-GEO objects with real angle-only observations. The methodology relies on the powerful capabilities of physics-informed neural networks, a machine learning framework that combines the available observed data with the knowledge of the physics, to perform a physically-consistent data regression. The Cartesian state of the object is approximated through single layer feed-forward neural networks trained via Extreme Learning Machine. To incorporate the physics in the training loss, a high-fidelity orbital dynamics model, comprising non-spherical gravitational of the Earth and the third body perturbations, is exploited. The PIOD technique is applied to real observations of three objects in the X-GEO regions: 2020 SO, which is a Centaur upper stage; the rocket body 59228, and the Falcon 9 rocket body that carried the lunar lander NOVA-C. PIOD shows very good accuracy, with observation residuals in the order of arcseconds, and comparable or better results with respect to the batch least squares, with the advantage of not requiring any initial guess and a-priori information of the objects’ orbit.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"238 ","pages":"Pages 271-285"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145097253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Information visualization for supporting short-term and long-term situation awareness in ground segments monitoring: application to SWOT command and control operations","authors":"Axel Carayon ,&nbsp;Camille Fayollas ,&nbsp;Clément Hubin-Andrieu ,&nbsp;Emilie Tortel ,&nbsp;Célia Martinie ,&nbsp;Philippe Palanque","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The CNES-funded project called STRECCC (STudy and Recommendations for the Ergonomics of Command and Control Centers) studies ground segment interactive applications, their user interfaces, and how the controllers interact with them, to identify solutions ensuring the usability of future, more automated command and control centers. The nature of the operations evolves, along with the skills, knowledge, and expertise of controllers. Their profile evolves being less technical and with less knowledge in the underlying systems or telecommunications. The STRECCC project addresses these evolutions by designing advanced user interfaces improving performance and situation awareness of the controller. The designs deeply exploit knowledge and research contributions in the area of information visualization and Human-Computer Interaction. In this paper, we present the approach, based on task models, we applied to investigate the usability of the SWOT Control and Command Center (CCC). Based on the study we performed, we present two prototypes of interactive visualizations to enhance operations by improving the perception and understanding of numerous information while performing different types of tasks (e.g., identifying a disconnected antenna, comparing the processing state of two telecommands …). From the results of a predictive evaluation and preliminary empirical feedback, they improve the situation awareness of the controllers by providing a long-term (a full week) perspective on recent-past and future operations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"238 ","pages":"Pages 657-671"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of a dual-cavity flameholder on the flameholding characteristics and flame behavior for low flight Mach numbers","authors":"Kei Norimatsu ,&nbsp;Noriko Katsumura ,&nbsp;Satoshi Nishiura ,&nbsp;Taku Kudo ,&nbsp;Akihiro Hayakawa ,&nbsp;Hideaki Kobayashi","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flame chemiluminescence, pressure profiles, flameholding limits, OH chemiluminescence, and shadowgraph images in a scramjet model combustor with a dual-cavity flameholder and burned-gas injection were investigated experimentally. The main objective of this study was to clarify the flameholding characteristics of a dual-cavity flameholder and investigate the advantages of using it over a single-cavity flameholder for low-flight Mach numbers. The mainstream conditions were a Mach number of 2.8, total temperature of 700 ± 50 K, and total pressure of 0.6 MPa. The results showed that the flame chemiluminescences of the single- and dual-cavity were very similar. However, the pressure rise in the dual-cavity flameholder was higher than that in the single-cavity flameholder around the downstream cavity. This means that the dual-cavity flameholder increased the fuel consumption. In other words, the combustion efficiency increased. It was also clarified that the dual-cavity flameholder improved the flameholding characteristics compared with the single-cavity flameholder. High-speed OH chemiluminescence images showed that the flameholding characteristics were improved by the specific ignition process of the dual-cavity flameholder. The specific ignition process was flame propagation from downstream to upstream in the combustor. High-speed shadowgraphs and OH chemiluminescence images showed that the shock wave generated by combustion caused the flame to propagate upstream. In addition, the dual-cavity flameholder temporarily stabilized the flame around the downstream cavity during ignition process. The study results showed that the dual-cavity flameholder improves the flameholding characteristics of the scramjet model combustor owing to temporary flameholding in the downstream cavity for low-flight Mach number conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"238 ","pages":"Pages 759-768"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Asymptotic relative dynamics for spacecraft on close hyperbolic trajectories","authors":"Denis Perepukhov ,&nbsp;Sergey Trofimov ,&nbsp;Mikhail Ovchinnikov","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.08.053","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.08.053","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this work, the problem of spacecraft relative motion in close heliocentric hyperbolic trajectories is investigated. The purpose is to obtain a description of the relative motion convenient for formation design and analysis. To handle the problem, linearized system’s solution is expressed in the asymptotic reference frame in the form of Laurent polynomials of a special angle variable or time. The truncated expansions are rather simple and can be analyzed manually. We use these expansions to determine conditions of the finite relative motion and to find out what types of relative motion are possible. The derived formulae are utilized to approximately propagate the relative motion, as well as to design a multi-spacecraft formation. The paper concludes with a numerical example of designing a formation of four spacecraft that are supposed to fly in a regular tetrahedron shape.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"238 ","pages":"Pages 377-392"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145096636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Primary cilia shortening alters osteocyte mechanotransduction: Spaceflight vs. simulated microgravity","authors":"Ran Tian ,&nbsp;Xintong Wu ,&nbsp;Yingjun Tan ,&nbsp;Dong Ding ,&nbsp;Lina Qu ,&nbsp;Xiao Yang ,&nbsp;Chunyan Wang ,&nbsp;Yahao Wang ,&nbsp;Taowan Gong ,&nbsp;Xuemin Yin ,&nbsp;Yinghui Li ,&nbsp;Yubo Fan ,&nbsp;Lianwen Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microgravity conditions in space lead to bone loss in the weight-bearing bones of astronauts, with alterations in osteocyte mechanotransduction considered a key cause of this weightlessness-induced bone loss. The primary cilia of osteocytes, which project from their surface, can sense fluid flow and convert shear stress signals into biochemical responses. Our previous studies demonstrated a reduction in both the number of ciliated cells and the ciliary length of MLO-Y4 osteocytes under clinostat-induced simulated microgravity (SMG). In this study, we investigated the effects of simulated microgravity on the transport velocity of intraflagellar transport proteins within cilia and further examined how osteocyte ciliary shortening impacts the downstream Ca²⁺-Calmodulin-NO signaling pathway and subsequent osteogenic regulatory functions. Our results demonstrated that SMG significantly reduced IFT protein trafficking speed in primary cilia. Ciliary shortening was also associated with suppressed downstream osteogenic regulation in osteocytes. To validate these findings, we conducted a 5-day in-orbit experiment of MLO-Y4 osteocytes during the Shenzhou-16 manned mission aboard the China Space Station. Notably, while osteocytes under actual space microgravity exhibited impaired ciliogenesis, they showed no significant reduction in ciliary length, which was inconsistent with the phenotypes under clinostat-induced SMG. Our study reveals that the clinostat-based SMG may not fully replicate the altered mechanotransduction of osteocytes under space microgravity, while underscoring the value of experimental validation in orbital microgravity for advancing space mechanobiology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"238 ","pages":"Pages 608-620"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145119436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Numerical simulation of the interaction of a single liquid droplet with a solid surface using the volume of fluid method","authors":"B.S. Shalabayeva ,&nbsp;K.N. Volkov ,&nbsp;L.V. Markova","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.025","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.025","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study of droplet-surface interaction is of great importance in the context of ensuring the safety and reliability of space flights. In particular, controlled droplet-surface interaction helps prevent the formation of free-flying droplets and ensures the supply of fuel to the engine. To simulate the interaction of a single liquid droplet with a solid surface, multiphase hydrodynamics methods are used based on the Volume of Fluid (VOF) model to track the liquid-gas interface, as well as adaptive meshes to improve the accuracy of calculations near the free surface. The mathematical model takes into account the effects of viscosity, surface tension, wetting (contact angle) and capillary forces. Specific attention is paid to the influence of the contact angle on accuracy of results of numerical simulation and droplet spreading factor. Numerical calculations are carried out for various characteristic parameters of the problem. The results of numerical modeling are compared with physical experiment data and the available correlation dependencies for the droplet spreading factor over the obstacle.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"238 ","pages":"Pages 543-559"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145097104","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trajectory design and optimization for elliptical lunar frozen orbit mission","authors":"Haiyang Li ,&nbsp;Wei Zhang ,&nbsp;Yingjie Zhao ,&nbsp;Donghua Wei ,&nbsp;Junpo Niu ,&nbsp;Huixin Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.08.059","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.08.059","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The elliptical lunar frozen orbit (ELFO) is the preferred orbit type for providing relay and navigation services to the lunar south pole, yet limited research exists on the design and optimization of transfer trajectories to ELFO. For engineering applications, several new challenges must be addressed, including the control over the ascending/descending characteristics of Earth-Moon transfer trajectories, the improvement of trajectory shooting convergence success rate, and the optimization of transfer trajectories to ELFO. A systematical trajectory design methodology for missions to ELFO is established in this paper. For the Earth-to-Moon transfer, a bidirectional integration model based on the eccentricity vector shooting is proposed, enabling precise control of trajectory ascending/descending characteristics with a simple solution process and high shooting success rate. For the optimization of transfer trajectories after lunar capture to ELFO, a three-impulse transfer framework is proposed, accompanied by a parameter offset design to expand the design space. Simulation results validate that the proposed bidirectional integration model with eccentricity vector shooting successfully controls ascending/descending characteristics, achieving a 100 % shooting success rate in simulations. The three-impulse transfer framework can effectively optimize the velocity increment and achieve the insertion to ELFO. Additionally, frozen parameter offset is demonstrated to reduce velocity increment requirements while preserving orbit frozen characteristics. The methodologies proposed herein have been successfully applied to the in-orbit operations of Chinese Tiandu satellite—the first spacecraft to operate in ELFO—confirming the effectiveness of the proposed methods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"238 ","pages":"Pages 1095-1110"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145267596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}