Giovanni Lavezzi, M. Lifson, Simone Servadio, Richard Linares
{"title":"Orbital Tolerance and Intrinsic Orbital Capacity for Electric Propulsion Constellations","authors":"Giovanni Lavezzi, M. Lifson, Simone Servadio, Richard Linares","doi":"10.2514/1.a35875","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Large constellations are typically designed using sets of periodic orbits and satellite control boxes sized to ensure compatible phasing between coorbital constellation planes to prevent conjunction events. This work investigates how the control action for orbit maintenance influences feasible intrashell and intershell distances in a satellite constellation. Two-dimensional lattice flower constellations are simulated in an environment inclusive of orbital perturbations, with onboard sensors and an electric propulsion system constituting the satellite guidance, navigation, and control system. An analysis to define estimates for minimum separation distances is performed as a function of control, propulsion, orbit, environmental, and spacecraft characteristics. An estimate of the intrinsic (geometric) orbital capacity is proposed, based on current and advanced technologies, in order to quantify the number of admissible spacecraft and orbital shells in a selected altitude range. Simulation results are used to improve the fidelity of intrinsic orbital capacity estimates and to understand factors that influence the number of admissible satellite locations in low Earth orbit.","PeriodicalId":50048,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.2514/1.a35875","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, AEROSPACE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Large constellations are typically designed using sets of periodic orbits and satellite control boxes sized to ensure compatible phasing between coorbital constellation planes to prevent conjunction events. This work investigates how the control action for orbit maintenance influences feasible intrashell and intershell distances in a satellite constellation. Two-dimensional lattice flower constellations are simulated in an environment inclusive of orbital perturbations, with onboard sensors and an electric propulsion system constituting the satellite guidance, navigation, and control system. An analysis to define estimates for minimum separation distances is performed as a function of control, propulsion, orbit, environmental, and spacecraft characteristics. An estimate of the intrinsic (geometric) orbital capacity is proposed, based on current and advanced technologies, in order to quantify the number of admissible spacecraft and orbital shells in a selected altitude range. Simulation results are used to improve the fidelity of intrinsic orbital capacity estimates and to understand factors that influence the number of admissible satellite locations in low Earth orbit.
期刊介绍:
This Journal, that started it all back in 1963, is devoted to the advancement of the science and technology of astronautics and aeronautics through the dissemination of original archival research papers disclosing new theoretical developments and/or experimental result. The topics include aeroacoustics, aerodynamics, combustion, fundamentals of propulsion, fluid mechanics and reacting flows, fundamental aspects of the aerospace environment, hydrodynamics, lasers and associated phenomena, plasmas, research instrumentation and facilities, structural mechanics and materials, optimization, and thermomechanics and thermochemistry. Papers also are sought which review in an intensive manner the results of recent research developments on any of the topics listed above.