Efficient spacecraft formationkeeping with consideration of ballistic coefficient control

Mathews, Michael; Leszkiewicz, Suzan J.

doi:10.2514/6.1988-375

“…In a follow-up paper to her master's thesis, Leonard et al [39] used the insights gained within the thesis to addressed orbital formation keeping in 1987. Similar analysis was presented 1988 by Mathews and Leszkiewicz [68], Aorpimai et al [69] (1999) as well as by Folta et al [70] [83] used the adaptive Lyapunov control approach developed for rendezvous scenarios [49,50] for the control of fly-around and re-phasing maneuvers.…”

Section: Formation Keeping / Maintenancementioning

confidence: 59%

On the exploitation of differential aerodynamic lift and drag as a means to control satellite formation flight

Traub

¹

,

Romano

²

,

Binder

³

et al. 2019

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In order for a satellite formation to maintain its intended design despite present perturbations (formation keeping), to change the formation design (reconfiguration) or to perform a rendezvous maneuver, control forces need to be generated. To do so, chemical and/or electric thrusters are currently the methods of choice. However, their utilization has detrimental effects on small satellites' limited mass, volume and power budgets. Since the mid-eighties, the potential of using differential drag as a means of propellant-less source of control for satellite formation flight is actively researched. This method consists of varying the aerodynamic drag experienced by different spacecraft, thus generating differential accelerations between them. Its main disadvantage, that its controllability is mainly limited to the in-plain relative motion, can be overcome by using differential lift as a means to control the out-of-plane motion. Due to its promising benefits, a variety of studies from researchers around the world have enhanced the state-of-the-art over the past decades which results in a multitude of available literature. In this paper, an extensive literature review of the efforts which led to the current state-of-the-art of different lift and drag based satellite formation control is presented. Based on the insights gained during the review process, key knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in the field of differential lift in order to enhance the current state-of-the-art are revealed and discussed. In closer detail, the interdependence between the feasibility domain / the maneuver time and increased differential lift forces achieved using advanced satellite surface materials promoting quasi-specular or specular reflection, as currently being developed in the course of the DISCOVERER project, is discussed. Keywords Satellite aerodynamics • differential lift • differential drag • formation flight control • propellant less control Acknowledgements This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 737183. This reflects only the author's view and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. The author would like to thank the reviewers, the DISCOVERER team as well as several colleagues from IRS for their valuable feedback and suggestions.

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“…Formation keeping using aerodynamic forces has been studied by different researchers. Leonard et al [Leonard et al 2004] considered differential aerodynamic drag while Matthews and Leszkiewicz [Matthews & Leszkiewicz 1988], and Steffy et al…”

Section: Formation Flying Using Aerodynamic Dragmentioning

confidence: 99%

Control of satellites using environmental forces : aerodynamic drag / solar radiation pressure

Varma¹

2021

Preprint

0

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The dynamics of a satellite involves orbit and attitude motion. Both orbit and attitude motion are required to be controlled for achieving any mission objectives. This thesis examines both of these motion with a focus on formation flying and attitude stabilization using aerodynamic drag or solar radiation pressure. The concept of satellite formation flying involves the distribution of the functionality of a single satellite among several smaller, cooperative satellites. Autonomous multiple satellite formation flying space missions offer many promising possibilities for space exploration. A large quantity of fuel is typically required onboard any conventional satellite to carry out its attitude and orbital positioning, and satellite formation flying has a higher fuel requirement. As on-board fuel is a scarce commodity, it is important to have control methods requiring little or no fuel. Keeping this in mind, this thesis presents the results of using aerodynamic drag or solar radiation pressure for satellite formation flying. This methodology has potential to have significant commercial advantage as it pertains to almost negligible fuel requirements. A leader/follower formation architecture is considered for the formation flying system. The control algorithms are derived based on adaptive sliding mode control technique. Aerodynamic drag is used to accomplish multiple satellite formation flying in low Earth orbit whereas solar radiation pressure is used in geostationary orbit. Due to the nature of the aerodynamic drag, in-plane control can only be accomplished by the suitable maneuvering of the drag plates mounted on the satellites. Solar radiation pressure is able to accomplish in-plane and out-of-plane control by maneuvering of the solar flaps. Efficacy of the control methodology in performing various scenarios of formation flying including formation reconfiguration is validated by numerical simulation in both the cases. The numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control techniques for satellite formation flying using aerodynamic drag or solar radiation pressure. Formation flying accuracies of less than 5 m are achieved in both the cases. Next, this thesis investigates the use of aerodynamic drag or solar radiation pressure for satellite attitude control. In the case of the aerodynamic drag stabilized satellite, the drag plates are considered to be attached to the satellite while the solar flaps are fixed to the satellite in the case of the solar radiation pressure stabilized satellite. In both the cases, the control algorithm is developed based on adaptive sliding mode control technique. The effectiveness of this methodology is numerically evaluated under various scenarios including the pressure of failure/fault in the solar flaps or drag plates attached to the satellite. The satellite attitude is stabilized within reasonable limits in all the cases thereby demonstrating robust performance in the presence of external disturbances.

show abstract

“…Formation keeping using aerodynamic forces has been studied by different researchers. Leonard et al [Leonard et al 2004] considered differential aerodynamic drag while Matthews and Leszkiewicz [Matthews & Leszkiewicz 1988], and Steffy et al…”

Section: Formation Flying Using Aerodynamic Dragmentioning

confidence: 99%

Control of satellites using environmental forces : aerodynamic drag / solar radiation pressure

Varma¹

2021

Preprint

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The dynamics of a satellite involves orbit and attitude motion. Both orbit and attitude motion are required to be controlled for achieving any mission objectives. This thesis examines both of these motion with a focus on formation flying and attitude stabilization using aerodynamic drag or solar radiation pressure. The concept of satellite formation flying involves the distribution of the functionality of a single satellite among several smaller, cooperative satellites. Autonomous multiple satellite formation flying space missions offer many promising possibilities for space exploration. A large quantity of fuel is typically required onboard any conventional satellite to carry out its attitude and orbital positioning, and satellite formation flying has a higher fuel requirement. As on-board fuel is a scarce commodity, it is important to have control methods requiring little or no fuel. Keeping this in mind, this thesis presents the results of using aerodynamic drag or solar radiation pressure for satellite formation flying. This methodology has potential to have significant commercial advantage as it pertains to almost negligible fuel requirements. A leader/follower formation architecture is considered for the formation flying system. The control algorithms are derived based on adaptive sliding mode control technique. Aerodynamic drag is used to accomplish multiple satellite formation flying in low Earth orbit whereas solar radiation pressure is used in geostationary orbit. Due to the nature of the aerodynamic drag, in-plane control can only be accomplished by the suitable maneuvering of the drag plates mounted on the satellites. Solar radiation pressure is able to accomplish in-plane and out-of-plane control by maneuvering of the solar flaps. Efficacy of the control methodology in performing various scenarios of formation flying including formation reconfiguration is validated by numerical simulation in both the cases. The numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control techniques for satellite formation flying using aerodynamic drag or solar radiation pressure. Formation flying accuracies of less than 5 m are achieved in both the cases. Next, this thesis investigates the use of aerodynamic drag or solar radiation pressure for satellite attitude control. In the case of the aerodynamic drag stabilized satellite, the drag plates are considered to be attached to the satellite while the solar flaps are fixed to the satellite in the case of the solar radiation pressure stabilized satellite. In both the cases, the control algorithm is developed based on adaptive sliding mode control technique. The effectiveness of this methodology is numerically evaluated under various scenarios including the pressure of failure/fault in the solar flaps or drag plates attached to the satellite. The satellite attitude is stabilized within reasonable limits in all the cases thereby demonstrating robust performance in the presence of external disturbances.

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Efficient spacecraft formationkeeping with consideration of ballistic coefficient control

Cited by 11 publications

References 1 publication

On the exploitation of differential aerodynamic lift and drag as a means to control satellite formation flight

On the exploitation of differential aerodynamic lift and drag as a means to control satellite formation flight

Control of satellites using environmental forces : aerodynamic drag / solar radiation pressure

Control of satellites using environmental forces : aerodynamic drag / solar radiation pressure

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