Session
Technical Session 3: Year in Review
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
Planet currently manages the largest commercial fleet in the world with multiple constellations and more than two hundred satellites in active operation. The SkySats are high resolution imaging spacecraft operating in a Low Earth Orbit; their mission is to image the Earth. After the recent launch of six satellites, the SkySat Constellation is complete with a total of twenty one satellites. This ‘block’ of spacecraft launched on two separate launches; it was the most ambitious and challenging set of SkySat launches and commissioning campaigns Planet has executed. The satellites launched into an inclined and extremely low altitude and required a new concept of operations, a new ground network, and several new system and automation workflows. All of these activities needed to be performed on a tight deadline, and during a worldwide pandemic (which added a multitude of unique challenges to the assembly, integration, and test of the spacecraft).
Each previous SkySat launch inserted the satellites into a sun synchronous orbit at an altitude greater than or equal to 500km; these launches inserted the satellites into an inclined orbit at an altitude of 375 km x 208 km. At this altitude, our models predicted the SkySats would re-enter the atmosphere in less than a month. The operations workflows were reimagined, improved, and further automated to support rapid commissioning and maneuvering of the satellites in order to prevent reentry. Many of the initial bus calibration activities that were previously executed prior to the first on orbit maneuver were either executed during the ground campaign or postponed until a safe altitude was reached. Instead of rushing towards a first light image on the newly launched satellites, the team now raced towards the first of many orbit raising maneuvers.
The orbit raising campaign consisted of a series of conjoined altitude raising, orbit circularization, and phasing maneuvers. Each satellite’s final position was phased to a relative in-tracks pacing that maximized coverage and spatial separation between all six satellites. Special care was taken to minimize the risk of close approaches between the two orbit planes. This campaign was affected and delayed by multiple hardware failures that pushed the team to implement new procedures to resume operations.
SkySat Block 3 Launch Campaign
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Planet currently manages the largest commercial fleet in the world with multiple constellations and more than two hundred satellites in active operation. The SkySats are high resolution imaging spacecraft operating in a Low Earth Orbit; their mission is to image the Earth. After the recent launch of six satellites, the SkySat Constellation is complete with a total of twenty one satellites. This ‘block’ of spacecraft launched on two separate launches; it was the most ambitious and challenging set of SkySat launches and commissioning campaigns Planet has executed. The satellites launched into an inclined and extremely low altitude and required a new concept of operations, a new ground network, and several new system and automation workflows. All of these activities needed to be performed on a tight deadline, and during a worldwide pandemic (which added a multitude of unique challenges to the assembly, integration, and test of the spacecraft).
Each previous SkySat launch inserted the satellites into a sun synchronous orbit at an altitude greater than or equal to 500km; these launches inserted the satellites into an inclined orbit at an altitude of 375 km x 208 km. At this altitude, our models predicted the SkySats would re-enter the atmosphere in less than a month. The operations workflows were reimagined, improved, and further automated to support rapid commissioning and maneuvering of the satellites in order to prevent reentry. Many of the initial bus calibration activities that were previously executed prior to the first on orbit maneuver were either executed during the ground campaign or postponed until a safe altitude was reached. Instead of rushing towards a first light image on the newly launched satellites, the team now raced towards the first of many orbit raising maneuvers.
The orbit raising campaign consisted of a series of conjoined altitude raising, orbit circularization, and phasing maneuvers. Each satellite’s final position was phased to a relative in-tracks pacing that maximized coverage and spatial separation between all six satellites. Special care was taken to minimize the risk of close approaches between the two orbit planes. This campaign was affected and delayed by multiple hardware failures that pushed the team to implement new procedures to resume operations.
