Satellite Formation Flying: Development and Implementation of a GNC System

This thesis report has explored the complex field of satellite formation flying, focusing on Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) strategies for maintaining formations of multiple satellites. The research has been guided by a series of research questions aimed at improving the understanding and implementation of GNC systems for satellite...

MPC-based autonomous assignment algorithm for a swarm of satellites

This thesis was aimed for the Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at The Delft University of Technology. The goal of this research was to formulate an assignment algorithm for autonomous guidance, control, and navigation system for spacecraft formation flying using a Model Predictive Control approach for estimation of fuel...

Research progress on geosynchronous synthetic aperture radar

Based on its ability to obtain two-dimensional (2D) high-resolution images in all-time and all-weather conditions, spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has become an important remote sensing technique and the study of such systems has entered a period of vigorous development. Advanced imaging modes such as radar interferometry,...

Distributed FDI using Recurrent Neural Networks for Thruster Faults in Formation Flying Satellites

Certain Formation Flying missions rely on their orbital control thrusters to maintain the formation, making a Fault Detection and Isolation (FDI) system that is capable of detecting thruster faults very valuable. In addition, communication between satellites in a formation can be expensive. In this thesis, a distributed FDI approach was...

A Multi-Agent Negotiation Approach to Formation Flying Coordination for Civil Aviation

This study proposes a novel coordination approach for the purpose of formation flying in civil aviation. Inspired by the natural phenomenon of bird flight, formation flying has proven to reduce the aerodynamic drag of trailing aircraft that follow the wake of a leader. We investigate the network scale fuel-savings potential of this operational...

Relative Navigation for Satellite Formation Flying based on Radio Frequency Metrology

To increase mission return, utilizing two or more spacecraft instead of one may sometimes be superior. This is especially true when a large spaceborne instrument needs to be created through larger and configurable baselines, such as telescopes and interferometers. However, coordinating the alignment of the individual components of such a...

Potentials and Limitations of CDMA Networks for Combined Inter-Satellite Communication and Relative Navigation

Precision formation flying missions require formation acquisition and maintenance through the interactions among spacecraft by the inter-satellite communication and relative navigation. This paper analyses the dedicated system constraints of the network architecture for precision formation flying missions. The critical time issue and the...

Formation flying; an interview with Tobias Gutleb

One of last year's Desig Synthesis Exercise (DSE) groups dived into the concept of fuel saving by letting aircraft flying in formation. They took their project even a step further and applied for the National Aviation Prize, a contest which encourages innovation in aerospace applications. The prize was taken to Delft, and the reason why is...

Characterizing Network Architecture for Inter-satellite Communication and Relative Navigation in Precise Formation Flying

Precise formation flying (PFF) missions require formation acquisition and maintenance through interactions among spacecraft by inter-satellite communication and relative navigation. That requires the network architecture to satisfy dedicated system constraints of time-criticality for updating navigation measurements and flexibility for...

Formation flying within a constellation of nano-satellites the QB50 mission

QB50 is a mission establishing an international network of 50 nano-satellites for multi-point, in-situ measurements in the lower thermosphere and re-entry research. As part of the QB50 mission, the Delft University of Technology intends to contribute two nano-satellites both being equipped with a highly miniaturized propulsion system in addition...

Relative state estimation and observability for formation flying satellites in the presence of sensor noise

This paper presents an investigation into the relative state estimation and observability for two formation flying satellites using two different relative navigation sensor sets. The first set consists out of a transmitter antenna on one satellite and a single receiver antenna on the other satellite to measure the inter-satellite range using a...

A Decomposition-Based Approach to Linear Time-Periodic Distributed Control of Satellite Formations

In this paper, we consider the problem of designing a distributed controller for a formation of spacecraft following a periodic orbit. Each satellite is controlled locally on the basis of information from only a subset of the others (the nearest ones). We describe the dynamics of each spacecraft by means of a linear time-periodic (LTP)...

Autonomous formation flying in low earth orbit

Formation flying is commonly identified as the collective usage of two or more cooperative spacecraft to exercise the function of a single monolithic virtual instrument. The distribution of tasks and payloads among fleets of coordinated smaller satellites offers the possibility to overcome the classical limitations of traditional single...

Mission Design of the Dutch-Chinese FAST Micro-Satellite Mission

The paper treats the mission design for the Dutch-Chinese FAST (Formation for Atmospheric Science and Technology demonstration) mission. The space segment of the 2.5 year mission consists out of two formation flying micro-satellites. During the mission, new technologies will be demonstrated and, using spectropolarimeter and altimeter payloads on...

Distributed Control for Identical Dynamically Coupled Systems: A Decomposition Approach

We consider the problem of designing distributed controllers for a class of systems which can be obtained from the interconnection of a number of identical subsystems. If the state space matrices of these systems satisfy a certain structural property, then it is possible to derive a procedure for designing a distributed controller which has the...

Precise Relative Positioning of Formation Flying Spacecraft using GPS

Spacecraft formation flying is considered as a key technology for advanced space missions. Compared to large individual spacecraft, the distribution of sensor systems amongst multiple platforms offers improved flexibility, shorter times to mission, and the prospect of being more cost effective. Besides these advantages, satellite formations in...

Impact of the space and satellite environment on the optical path differences of Darwin

ESA's space interferometry mission Darwin will make use of optical delay lines (ODL) to help control the optical path differences (OPD) between the satellites to the nanometer level. In order to determine the required ODL control bandwidth, this study investigates the order of magnitude of the high-frequency (> 1 Hz) disturbance forces, and...