Logo
ScienceStack
Table of Contents
Fetching ...
Sign In

Orbit Determination through Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation

Pedro K de Albuquerque, Andre R Kuroswiski, Annie S. Wu, Willer G. dos Santos, Paulo Costa

TL;DR

Addresses autonomous Initial Orbit Determination (IOD) by using Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) as a velocity reference. The approach combines nonlinear velocity estimation from CMB observations with regression-based velocity prediction, evaluating multiple algorithms and finding that ridge-based and polynomial regression offer the best accuracy without excessive computation. The work introduces a novel CMB-based velocity reference, formulates both analytical and data-driven estimation pathways, and demonstrates that single-sensor inputs can achieve competitive IOD performance. These findings point to increased spacecraft autonomy and resilience for missions with limited Earth-based support or in deep-space environments.

Abstract

This research explores the use of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation as a reference signal for Initial Orbit Determination (IOD). By leveraging the unique properties of CMB, this study introduces a novel method for estimating spacecraft velocity and position with minimal reliance on pre-existing environmental data, offering significant advantages for space missions independent of Earth-specific conditions. Using Machine Learning (ML) regression models, this approach demonstrates the capability to determine velocity from CMB signals and subsequently determine the satellite's position. The results indicate that CMB has the potential to enhance the autonomy and flexibility of spacecraft operations.

Orbit Determination through Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation

TL;DR

Addresses autonomous Initial Orbit Determination (IOD) by using Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) as a velocity reference. The approach combines nonlinear velocity estimation from CMB observations with regression-based velocity prediction, evaluating multiple algorithms and finding that ridge-based and polynomial regression offer the best accuracy without excessive computation. The work introduces a novel CMB-based velocity reference, formulates both analytical and data-driven estimation pathways, and demonstrates that single-sensor inputs can achieve competitive IOD performance. These findings point to increased spacecraft autonomy and resilience for missions with limited Earth-based support or in deep-space environments.

Abstract

This research explores the use of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation as a reference signal for Initial Orbit Determination (IOD). By leveraging the unique properties of CMB, this study introduces a novel method for estimating spacecraft velocity and position with minimal reliance on pre-existing environmental data, offering significant advantages for space missions independent of Earth-specific conditions. Using Machine Learning (ML) regression models, this approach demonstrates the capability to determine velocity from CMB signals and subsequently determine the satellite's position. The results indicate that CMB has the potential to enhance the autonomy and flexibility of spacecraft operations.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 15 sections, 20 equations, 10 figures, 3 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Background
  3. Mathematical Modeling for IOD Using CMB
  4. Velocity Estimation Using Machine Learning Regression Models
  5. Regression Models
  6. Evaluation Metrics
  7. Hyperparameter Fine-tuning
  8. Experimental Simulation Scenario
  9. Scenario for Analytical Solution
  10. Scenario for ML Models Solution
  11. Results and Discussions
  12. Analytical Solutions Evaluation
  13. Evaluation of ML Models
  14. IOD Evaluation Using Ridge Model
  15. Conclusion

Figures (10)

  • Figure 1: Spacecraft with Velocity Vector $\mathbf{\vec{v}}$ and Sensor Pointing $\vec{n}$ for CMB Detection
  • Figure 2: Effect of Varying Velocity Magnitudes ($\mathbf{v_1}$ and $\mathbf{v_2}$) on the Measurement of the CMB Temperature
  • Figure 3: Effect of Sensor Pointing ($\mathbf{n_1}$ and $\mathbf {n_2}$) and Velocity ($\mathbf{v_1}$ and $\mathbf{v_2}$) on the Measurement of the CMB Temperature
  • Figure 4: Effect of Rotational Motion with Different Angular Velocities ($\mathbf{w_1}$ and $\mathbf{w_2}$) on the Measurement of the CMB Temperature
  • Figure 5: Schematics of the Orbit and the Sensors' Offset for the Simulation
  • ...and 5 more figures