Phase Acquisition and Formationkeeping of a New Power Consumption Monitoring Satellite Constellation
Session
Technical Session VI: Formation Flying And Large Scale Interferometry
Abstract
A new satellite constellation proposed for global monitoring of electrical power consumption is described in the paper. The optimal small satellite constellation structure as well as its control accuracy required for serving the mission objective throughout the designed life span is examined. The orbital dynamics is analysed for the purposes of optimal phase acquisition and formationkeeping strategy design. A low-cost strategy for spreading all satellites onto their prescribed positions under both time and fuel consumption constraints is explained. The separation errors due to control system uncertainties are analysed, and the system requirements for the constellation phase acquisition are specified. A control strategy is investigated for keeping of the relative pattern of the constellation in spite of the perturbation effects from atmospheric drag and the potential harmonics of the non-spherical Earth, and fuel expenditure is minimised. The system feasibility is demonstrated via simulation results. The control system relies upon low-cost, practical flight-proven sensing and actuating systems for small satellite missions.
Phase Acquisition and Formationkeeping of a New Power Consumption Monitoring Satellite Constellation
A new satellite constellation proposed for global monitoring of electrical power consumption is described in the paper. The optimal small satellite constellation structure as well as its control accuracy required for serving the mission objective throughout the designed life span is examined. The orbital dynamics is analysed for the purposes of optimal phase acquisition and formationkeeping strategy design. A low-cost strategy for spreading all satellites onto their prescribed positions under both time and fuel consumption constraints is explained. The separation errors due to control system uncertainties are analysed, and the system requirements for the constellation phase acquisition are specified. A control strategy is investigated for keeping of the relative pattern of the constellation in spite of the perturbation effects from atmospheric drag and the potential harmonics of the non-spherical Earth, and fuel expenditure is minimised. The system feasibility is demonstrated via simulation results. The control system relies upon low-cost, practical flight-proven sensing and actuating systems for small satellite missions.
