Session
Pre-Conference Workshop Session VI: Advanced Concepts III
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
With the emergence of a new space-to-space servicing sector, along with the return of manned missions beyond low earth orbit, there is an increased need for quick, efficient, and most of all, safe Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO). An additional next big step forward may be true manufacturing in space, which could take advantage of swarms of small satellites cooperating in close proximity to each other, all subjected to the same laws of orbital mechanics. Currently, there is a lack of knowledge about how to safely operate a swarm of spacecraft in close quarters in a dynamically changing environment (i.e., a “space construction site”), without creating a high risk of collision and/or potential debris creation.
In order to formulate a stable, recurring, and efficient set of trajectories, a method was developed using genetic algorithms. This set of algorithms is able to solve for a set of relative motion trajectories for a swarm of N spacecraft, taking into account gravitational perturbations, to obtain trajectories that are recurring over a set amount of time. These algorithms also have the capability to dynamically alter the trajectories in order to take into account changes to the system, such as the addition of new spacecraft, or individual spacecraft failures.
Safe Construction in Space: Using Swarms of Small Satellites for In-Space Manufacturing
Utah State University, Logan, UT
With the emergence of a new space-to-space servicing sector, along with the return of manned missions beyond low earth orbit, there is an increased need for quick, efficient, and most of all, safe Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO). An additional next big step forward may be true manufacturing in space, which could take advantage of swarms of small satellites cooperating in close proximity to each other, all subjected to the same laws of orbital mechanics. Currently, there is a lack of knowledge about how to safely operate a swarm of spacecraft in close quarters in a dynamically changing environment (i.e., a “space construction site”), without creating a high risk of collision and/or potential debris creation.
In order to formulate a stable, recurring, and efficient set of trajectories, a method was developed using genetic algorithms. This set of algorithms is able to solve for a set of relative motion trajectories for a swarm of N spacecraft, taking into account gravitational perturbations, to obtain trajectories that are recurring over a set amount of time. These algorithms also have the capability to dynamically alter the trajectories in order to take into account changes to the system, such as the addition of new spacecraft, or individual spacecraft failures.
