Applying autonomy to distributed satellite systems: Trends, challenges, and future prospects

Abstract

While monolithic satellite missions still pose significant advantages in terms of accuracy and operations, novel distributed architectures are promising improved flexibility, responsiveness and adaptability to structural and functional changes. Large satellite swarms, opportunistic satellite networks or heterogeneous constellations hybridizing small-spacecraft nodes with high-performance satellites are becoming feasible and advantageous alternatives requiring the adoption of new operation paradigms that enhance their autonomy. While autonomy is a notion that is gaining acceptance in monolithic satellite missions, it can also be deemed an integral characteristic in Distributed Satellite Systems. In this context, this paper focuses on the motivations for system-level autonomy in DSS and justifies its need as an enabler of system qualities.Autonomy is also presented as a necessary feature to bring new distributed Earth observation functions (which require coordination and collaboration mechanisms) and to allow for novel structural functions (e.g. opportunistic coalitions, exchange of resources or in-orbit data services).Mission Planning and Scheduling frameworks (MPS) are then presented as a key component to * Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: {carles.araguz, elisenda.bou, eduard.alarcon}@upc.edu 1 implement autonomous operations in satellite missions. An exhaustive knowledge classification explores the design aspects of MPS for DSS, and conceptually groups them into: components and organizational paradigms; problem modeling and representation; optimization techniques and metaheuristics; execution and runtime characteristics; and the notions of tasks, resources and constraints. This paper concludes by proposing future strands of work devoted to study the tradeoffs of autonomy in large-scale, highly dynamic and heterogeneous networks through frameworks that consider some of the limitations of small spacecraft technologies.

A Novel Dissemination Protocol to Deploy Opportunistic Services in Federated Satellite Systems

“…payload execution, communications with the ground station), which conform the well-known mission plan. Different researchers have been working on conceiving mechanisms to design the optimum plan [19], [20]. All of them have remarked the importance to properly model satellite resources [21].…”

A stakeholder framework for evaluating the ‐ilities of autonomous behaviors in complex adaptive systems

“…Providing a modeling and simulation capability to augment her research would help advance best systems engineering practice for CASs to help better meet system quality expectations. Additionally, Araguz comments on how acquiring system qualities of distributed space systems through autonomous operations has yet to be realized 15 . His view highlights a common theme emphasizing the opportunity and challenge for future development of more CASs in space.…”

Spacecraft mission agent for autonomous robust task execution

“…A general overview of approaches to autonomy for distributed satellite systems (DSS) is provided by Araguz et al [11], along with trends, challenges, and future prospects. In this paper, a list of the issues and topics that autonomous satellite technologies target is discussed such as communication delays, reduced visibility with ground stations, improvement of science return, and mission robustness and tolerance against failure.…”