A Novel Approach for the Generation of Satellite Pattern of Life

Abstract

In an overly crowded space environment, detection, tracking and characterization of Resident Space Objects have become critical tasks. Given the increasing challenge of accomplishing these tasks in the presence of maneuvers, establishing the possible recursive behaviour of the satellite, i.e., its Pattern of Life, can be an invaluable help. The Pattern of Life of a Resident Space Object also plays a critical role in predicting when the satellite is expected to maneuver, which can serve both civilian (improving tracking capability) and military purposes (identifying anomalous maneuvers performed by unfriendly assets). In this context, this paper presents a definition of the pattern of life based on satellite orbital parameters and maneuvers statistics, which is applicable in different orbital domains. The developed method is first validated using synthetically generated test cases, simulating LEO orbit maintenance maneuvers, and then tested on real test cases to assess its performance in realistic operational scenarios.