Asynchronous optimal mixed P2P satellite refueling strategies

Abstract

In this paper, we study pure peer-to-peer (henceforth abbreviated as P2P) and mixed (combined single-spacecraft and P2P) satellite refueling in circular orbit constellations comprised of multiple satellites. We consider the optimization of two conflicting objectives in the refueling problem and show that the cost function we choose to determine the optimal refueling schedule reflects a reasonable compromise between these two conflicting objectives. In addition, we show that equal time distribution between the forward and return flights for each pair of P2P maneuvers does not necessarily lead to the optimum cost. Based on this idea, we propose a strategy for reducing the cost of P2P maneuvers. This strategy is applied to pure P2P refueling scenarios as well as to mixed refueling scenarios. Furthermore, for the case of a mixed scenario, we propose an asynchronous P2P strategy that also leads to more efficient refueling.

An auction algorithm for allocating fuel in satellite constellations using peer-to-peer refueling

“…The current paper extends the work of [7], [5] by considering optimal refueling strategies that result in all satellites in the constellation being fuel sufficient after a given time T .…”

“…The goal was to minimize the 1-norm of the deviation of the satellites' fuel content from the constellation average fuel. In [5], [6] the authors showed that a mixed P2P-tug refueling strategy can be more fuel-efficient for refueling a large number of satellites compared with the use of a singlevehicle refueling strategy.…”

“…Coordinated refueling of satellite constellations has been recently addressed in [4], [5], [6], [7]. Therein, the authors investigated optimal scheduling for external refueling [4], and later peer-to-peer refueling within a constellation [7].…”

“…of fuel. This may be, for instance, due to an earlier stage of a mixed refueling strategy [5], [6]. We may therefore define two disjoint sets of satellites: one set consisting of those satellites that have enough fuel (the "fuel sufficient" satellites), and the second set consisting of those satellites which do not have enough fuel (the "fuel deficient" satellites).…”

Optimal scheduling of multispacecraft refueling based on cooperative maneuver

“…In these kind of strategies, each satellite can play the role of the refueling/ servicing spacecraft (Shen and Tsiotras, 2005;Dutta and Tsiotras, 2009). Systematical studies have been performed on P2P and mixed refueling strategies (Dutta and Tsiotras, 2006), and it has been shown that a mixed refueling strategy consumes less fuel than a strategy with only one service satellite for a large number of satellites and for short refueling periods (Tsiotras and de Nailly, 2005 (Salazar and Tsiotras, 2006;Dutta andTsiotras, 2006, 2008;Dutta, 2009). P2P refueling strategy using low-thrust propulsion has also been investigated (Dutta et al, 2012).…”