With the successful completion of China’s first independent Mars exploration mission, future probes will venture into increasingly distant deep space. For deep space probes, due to significant differences in their operating environment compared to Earth satellites, the design of the tracking, telemetry, and command (TT&C) system is both related to and distinct from that of Earth satellites. Based on the design, development, and flight verification of the TT&C subsystem of China’s “Tianwen-1” mars orbiter, the main technical characteristics of deep space probe TT&C and communication systems were summarized. Particular emphasis was placed on analyses of beam coverage of TT&C antennas throughout the entire flight, trajectory determination, capability for acquisition and tracking of weak signal carriers, multi-channel and multi-mode highly integrated communication, and autonomous control technologies, which can provide a reference for the design of TT&C subsystems for future Chinese deep space probes.
LI Jin-yue, NIU Jun-po, XU Xi-chao, WANG Min-jian, HE Chun-li.
Characteristics of TT&C Communication Technology of Tianwen-1 Mars Orbiter[J].
Science Technology and Engineering, 2026, 26(15): 6633-6647 DOI:10.12404/j.issn.1671-1815.2504319
国外在深空探测器测控通信系统设计方面已形成完整的技术体系,以美国NASA(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)为代表。测控系统具备多频段(S/X/Ka波段)兼容能力,并构建深空通信网以确保信号的可靠接收[3],支持高码率数据传输与精确轨道测定。在天线波束覆盖方面,采用高增益定向天线与低增益全向天线结合的方式,确保各飞行阶段的可靠链路。轨道测定依赖高精度测距、测速与甚长基线干涉测量(very long baseline interferometry,VLBI)技术,结合差分单向测距(delta-differential one-way ranging,Δ-DOR)差分观测,实现厘米级速度和百米级位置定轨精度。针对微弱信号,应用低温接收机、高效信道编码与先进捕获跟踪算法[4],显著提升链路可靠性。通信系统普遍采用多通道、多模式集成架构,支持自主切换与故障重构。但这些方面未见详细论述。
深空探测器通信系统的指令执行过程采用基于规则和遥测状态识别的方法进行自主故障诊断。一旦发现故障,系统将自动回退到前一状态模式或初始设定的工作状态,以确保系统的稳定性和安全性。“天问一号”火星环绕器的综合电子系统使用磁性随机存储器(magnetoresistive random access memory,MRAM)来存储测控通信工作状态字,这些状态字详细记录了系统的各种工作状态,状态字定义如表3所示[43]。
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