Projects per year
Abstract
When a group of satellites is equipped with a particulary simple propul-
sion system, e.g. cold-gas thrusters, constraints on the thrust level and total
propellant mass renders cluster-keeping extremely challenging. This is even
more pronounced in disaggregated space architectures, in which a satellite
is formed by clustering a number of heterogenous, free-flying modules. The
research described in this paper develops guidance laws aimed at keeping
the relative distances between the cluster modules bounded for long mission
lifetimes, typically more than a year, while utilizing constant-magnitude
low-thrust, with a characteristic on-off profile. A cooperative guidance law
capable of cluster establishment and maintenance under realistic environ-
mental perturbations is developed. The guidance law is optimized for fuel
consumption, subject to relative distance constraints. Some of the solutions
found to the optimal guidance problem require only a single maneuver arc
to keep the cluster within relatively close distances for an entire year.
sion system, e.g. cold-gas thrusters, constraints on the thrust level and total
propellant mass renders cluster-keeping extremely challenging. This is even
more pronounced in disaggregated space architectures, in which a satellite
is formed by clustering a number of heterogenous, free-flying modules. The
research described in this paper develops guidance laws aimed at keeping
the relative distances between the cluster modules bounded for long mission
lifetimes, typically more than a year, while utilizing constant-magnitude
low-thrust, with a characteristic on-off profile. A cooperative guidance law
capable of cluster establishment and maintenance under realistic environ-
mental perturbations is developed. The guidance law is optimized for fuel
consumption, subject to relative distance constraints. Some of the solutions
found to the optimal guidance problem require only a single maneuver arc
to keep the cluster within relatively close distances for an entire year.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 391-402 |
Journal | Journal of Guidance, Control and Dynamics |
Volume | 37 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Mar 2014 |
Keywords
- low-thrust propulsion
- cooperative guidance law
- satellite cluster
- flight control
- manoeuvering
- cluster dynamics
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Optimal on-off cooperative manoeuvers for long-term satellite cluster flight'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
-
VISIONSPACE - VISIONARY SPACE SYSTEMS: ORBITAL DYNAMICS AT EXTREMES OF SPACECRAFT LENGTH SCALE (ERC ADVANCED GRANT)
McInnes, C.
European Commission - FP7 - European Research Council
1/02/09 → 30/09/14
Project: Research