Questions of Formation Flying Concept

Concept Formation 1 Concept Formation

Formation-Flying Using Potential Functions

A group of small spacecraft able to change their relative position and attitude through the use of the potential function method is discussed. The spacecraft shapes, sizes and manoeuvring capabilities are not identical, although all are assumed to manoeuvre using continuous thrusters. A hyperbolic form of the attractive potential function is used to reduce actuator effort by using natural orbit...

Guidance and Control of Formation Flying Spacecraft

A key element of NASA’s future space exploration is high precision formation flying (FF) for space interferometry. Precision FF has never been attempted before and poses new and significant challenges to the underlying control system. While the guidance and control (G&C) methodologies of single spacecraft for traditional planetary flyby and orbiter missions are well-understood, the G&C of FF mi...

Optimal Trajectory Planning of Formation Flying Spacecraft

This paper introduces a closed-loop Guidance and Control optimal algorithm that balances the propellant consumption and the need for collision avoidance among formation ‡ying spacecraft. This model-based algorithm is purely algebraic and computes the spacecraft trajectories from the knowledge of the formation linearized relative dynamics equations and the formation full state. Using Pontryagin’...

Efficient Control of Formation Flying Spacecraft

Several upcoming European and American space missions will be operated using a number of spacecraft flying in formation. The associated scientific challenges are demanding, both with respect to the construction of the spacecraft as well as to the mission design. For instance, energy efficient trajectories and corresponding control laws that enable precision formation flying over long periods of...