Satellite Formation Flying: Dynamics and Control

A special issue of Aerospace (ISSN 2226-4310). This special issue belongs to the section "Astronautics & Space Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (17 November 2023) | Viewed by 2593

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Interests: spaceflight dynamics; attitude motion; attitude determination; satellite formation flying control algorithms
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Associate Professor, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Interests: satellite formation/cluster dynamics and control; satellite constellation design and control; drag-free satellite mechanics and control
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Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
Interests: optimization; symbolic computation; robotics; navigation; optimal filtering; orbit determination; hybridization theory
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Associate Professor, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: astrodynamics; spacecraft relative motion; satellite formation flying; asteroid exploration; trajectory design and optimization
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School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
Interests: spacecraft dynamics and control; asteroid exploration; multi-agent systems
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Since the satellite formation/cluster flying concept was proposed at the end of the 1990s, it has attracted global attention from academics. Advances have been made in the theory and technology of the relative dynamics, formation design, maintenance, and reconfiguration control involved in satellite formation; in fact, they have been used to build spacecrafts for Germany's TanDEM-X and Sweden's PRISMA satellite formation missions. Due to the recent rapid development of micro-satellite technology, large-scale satellite formation/cluster technology has become a hot topic in related research fields. The relative dynamics, distributed navigation, and distributed coordinated attitude and orbit control required in large-scale satellite clusters also bring new technological challenges, and thus require further investigation. 

The aim of this Special Issue is to present a broad collection of papers pertaining to dynamics, control, planning, and decision making in space missions. We are especially interested in studies that involve large-scale multi-spacecraft systems, and also welcome papers on navigation, guidance, and control in the space industry in the fields of aerospace, space robotics, and space aircrafts. 

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Large-scale satellite formation/cluster dynamics;
  • Constellation systems;
  • Formation flying mission design;
  • Spatial measurements of space systems, in-orbit service, and in-orbit assembly;
  • Distributed navigation, and relative motion guidance and control;
  • Swarm intelligence;
  • Aerospace robotics and aircrafts;
  • Data processing and analysis;
  • Laboratory study of formation flying control and navigation algorithms;
  • Relative motion simulation. 

Dr. Danil Ivanov
Dr. Jihe Wang
Dr. Jin Wu
Dr. Chengxi Zhang
Prof. Wei Wang
Dr. Ran Sun
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • satellite formation flying
  • control algorithms
  • relative dynamics
  • motion simulation
  • mission design
  • laboratory study

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 15428 KiB  
Article
Relative Orbit Control Algorithms and Scenarios for the Inertial Alignment Hold Demonstration Mission by CubeSat Formation Flying
by Soobin Jeon, Sang-Young Park and Geuk-Nam Kim
Aerospace 2024, 11(2), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11020135 - 4 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1590
Abstract
CANYVAL-C is a formation-flying mission that demonstrates a coronagraph utilizing two CubeSats. The coronagraph is a space telescope that blocks sunlight to examine the overcast regions around the sun. It is composed of optical and occult segments. Two spacecraft were aligned with respect [...] Read more.
CANYVAL-C is a formation-flying mission that demonstrates a coronagraph utilizing two CubeSats. The coronagraph is a space telescope that blocks sunlight to examine the overcast regions around the sun. It is composed of optical and occult segments. Two spacecraft were aligned with respect to an inertial system to configure a virtual telescope using inertial alignment hold technology. The relative orbit control scenario for this mission involves rendezvous, differential air drag control, and inertial alignment holding. Orbit control algorithms and simple strategies that can be automatically constructed onboard have also been developed. For each maneuver, the control performance under the errors from navigation, attitude determination and control, and propulsion systems were assessed via Monte Carlo simulation, taking into account the hardware specifications and operations. In addition to the algorithm and strategy of this mission, the relative orbit control scenario was evaluated for its practicability using Monte Carlo simulations. The feasibility of this mission is ensured by a statistical analysis of the prospect of its success during its operation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Satellite Formation Flying: Dynamics and Control)
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