Concurrent co-location maneuver planning for geostationary satellites

This paper details the development of a planning algorithm for multiple co-located geostationary satellites to perform station keeping and momentum unloading maneuvers concurrently. The objective is to minimize the overall fuel consumption while guaranteeing a safe separation distance between the sa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta astronautica Vol. 163; no. Part B; pp. 211 - 224
Main Authors: Satpute, Sumeet, Emami, M. Reza
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Elmsford Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2019
Elsevier BV
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ISSN:0094-5765, 1879-2030, 1879-2030
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This paper details the development of a planning algorithm for multiple co-located geostationary satellites to perform station keeping and momentum unloading maneuvers concurrently. The objective is to minimize the overall fuel consumption while guaranteeing a safe separation distance between the satellites within a specific geostationary slot, as well as managing their stored angular momentum to maintain their nadir pointing orientation. The algorithm adopts the leader-follower architecture to define relative orbital elements of the satellites equipped with four gimbaled on-off electric thrusters, and solves a convex optimization problem with inequality constraints, including momentum unloading requirements, to determine the optimal maneuvers. The proposed algorithm is verified, in terms of fuel consumption, constraints enforcement and satellites performance, using numerical simulations that take into account dominant perturbations in the geostationary environment. •Concurrent station keeping and momentum dumping for collocated GEO satellites.•Satellites are equipped with 4 gimbaled on-off electric thrusters.•Convex optimization model for maneuver planning with minimal fuel consumption.•Optimization in receding horizon control form to enhance maneuvering autonomy.•More satellites can be managed in a given GEO slot with minimal fuel consumption.
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ISSN:0094-5765
1879-2030
1879-2030
DOI:10.1016/j.actaastro.2018.10.027