Related papers: Small Satellite Constellation Separation using Lin…
A methodology is presented for the differential drag control of a large fleet of propulsion-less satellites deployed in the same orbit. The controller places satellites into a constellation with specified angular offsets and zero-relative…
In this work, we achieve propellantless control of both cross-track and along-track separation of a satellite formation by manipulating atmospheric drag. Increasing the differential drag of one satellite with respect to another directly…
Agile attitude maneuvering maximizes the utility of remote sensing satellite constellations. By taking into account a satellite's physical properties and its actuator specifications, we may leverage the full performance potential of the…
Satellite constellation missions, consisting of a large number of spacecraft, are increasingly being launched or planned. Such missions require novel control approaches, in particular for what concerns orbital phasing maneuvers. In this…
We present methodology and mission results from orbit determination of Planet Labs nanosatellites and differential-drag control of their relative motion. Orbit determination (OD) is required on Planet Labs satellites to accurately predict…
Operating Earth observing satellites requires efficient planning methods that coordinate activities of multiple spacecraft. The satellite task planning problem entails selecting actions that best satisfy mission objectives for autonomous…
The main focus of the work presented in this thesis is to develop an optimal control based formation flying control strategy for high precision formation flying of small satellites that have restricted computation and storage capacity.…
The growing interest in space activities has led to the emergence of new space operators and innovative mission concepts. Small satellites such as CubeSats reduce mission costs and are typically deployed in constellations or formation…
This study presents autonomous guidance and control strategies for the purpose of reconfiguring close-range multi-satellite formations. The formation under consideration includes $N$ under-actuated deputy satellites and an uncontrolled…
Small spacecraft now have precise attitude control systems available commercially, allowing them to slew in 3 degrees of freedom, and capture images within short notice. When combined with appropriate software, this agility can…
The use of regional coverage satellite constellations is on the rise, urging the need for an optimal constellation design method for complex regional coverage. Traditional constellations are often designed for continuous global coverage,…
Satellite constellation design requires optimizing orbital parameters across multiple satellites to maximize mission specific metrics. For many types of mission, it is desirable to maximize coverage and minimize revisit gaps over ground…
When using constellation synergy to image large areas for reconnaissance, it is required to achieve the coverage capability requirements with minimal consumption of observation resources to obtain the most optimal constellation observation…
The recent growing trend to develop large-scale satellite constellations (i.e., mega-constellation) with low-cost small satellites has brought the need for an efficient and scalable maintenance strategy decision plan. Traditional spare…
In this paper, we address the problem of reconfiguring Earth observation satellite constellation systems through multiple stages. The Multi-stage Constellation Reconfiguration Problem (MCRP) aims to maximize the total observation rewards…
Differential drag is a promising option to control the relative motion of distributed satellites in the Very Low Earth Orbit regime which are not equipped with dedicated thrusting devices. A major downside of the methodology, however, is…
This work introduces a linearized analytical model for the study of the dynamic of satellites in near circular orbits under the effects of the atmospheric drag. This includes the evaluation of the station keeping required for each satellite…
This paper presents a decentralized, online planning approach for scalable maneuver planning for large constellations. While decentralized, rule-based strategies have facilitated efficient scaling, optimal decision-making algorithms for…
A group of satellites, with either homogeneous or heterogeneous orbital characteristics and/or hardware specifications, can undertake a reconfiguration process due to variations in operations pertaining to Earth observation missions. This…
Designing satellite constellation systems involves complex multidisciplinary optimization in which coverage serves as a primary driver of overall system cost and performance. Among the various design considerations, constellation…