Differential Drag as a Means of Spacecraft Formation Control

Kumar, Balaji Shankar; Ng, Alfred; Yoshihara, Keisuke; Ruiter, Anton de

doi:10.1109/taes.2011.5751247

Cited by 52 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…This assumption will be examined in a simulation. Then the partial state closed-loop dynamics (16) are approximated with respect to the reference x r as…”

Section: Stability Results For Cluster Flightmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Note that if the dynamics in (16) for w i are independent of x 1 (e.g. the matrix G i is constant), then the last equation in (16) can be omitted to obtain a self-contained reducedorder dynamics for the w i 's.…”

Section: Equlibria and Partial Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…the matrix G i is constant), then the last equation in (16) can be omitted to obtain a self-contained reducedorder dynamics for the w i 's. However, this equation is kept in the following sections for generality.…”

Section: Equlibria and Partial Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For cluster flight based on inertial position and velocity, Martinusi and Gurfil used a single optimal impulsive maneuver to obtain bounded motion [15]. In view of the influence of drag perturbation on the formation flying, some authors also developed strategies to control the formation by differential drags [16,17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Satellite cluster flight using on-off cyclic control

Zhang

Gurfil

2015

Acta Astronautica

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“…This assumption will be examined in a simulation. Then the partial state closed-loop dynamics (16) are approximated with respect to the reference x r as…”

Section: Stability Results For Cluster Flightmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Equlibria and Partial Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Equlibria and Partial Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Satellite cluster flight using on-off cyclic control

Zhang

Gurfil

2015

Acta Astronautica

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“…The use of atmospheric differential drag for formation keeping was first proposed in 1986 (Leonard, 1986) an improved in 1989 (Leonard, Hollister, & Bergmann, Orbital Formation-Keeping with Differential Drag, 1989), and has been proven to work in Earth atmosphere by many missions, like the ORBCOMM constellation (Maclay & Tuttle, 2015), and the JC2Sat (Kumar, Ng, Yoshihara, & De Ruiter, 2007). Also, atmospheric drag has been used in the Mars atmosphere as aerobraking in order to decelerate the landing vehicles (Withers, 2013) or trying to circularize the orbit of the spacecraft (Lyons, Beerer, Esposito, Johnston, & Willcockson, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Autonomous Formation Flying and Proximity Operations Using Differential Drag on the Mars Atmosphere

Villa¹

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To analyze the use of differential drag on the Mars atmosphere, the researcher accessed the two high resolution models available: NASA's Mars-GRAM and ESA's Mars Climate Database. These models allowed the simulation of conditions that a spacecraft would experience while in orbit around the planet. To explore the feasibility, the researcher first conducted a study where Mars atmosphere density was compared to Earth atmosphere, determining its applicability. Then, a simulation using MATLAB® was conducted, using a Keplerian two-body problem including the effects of Mars zonal harmonics (i.e. J2) and drag perturbations. Two 6U CubeSat were used in the simulation with deployable drag plates of different sizes, giving the possibility of having five differential drag scenarios as means of formation control.The conclusions showed that, although with some limitations, the use of differential drag as means of autonomous formation flying and proximity operations control is feasible using proven techniques previously validated in Low Earth Orbit. Lyapunov control was selected as the control strategy, where three different methods were evaluated and compared.

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Model of $$J_2$$ J 2 perturbed satellite relative motion with time-varying differential drag

Gaias

Ardaens

Montenbruck

2015

Celest Mech Dyn Astr

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This work revisits the modeling of the relative motion between satellites flying in near-circular low-Earth-orbits. The motion is described through relative orbital elements and both Earth's oblateness and differential drag perturbations are addressed. With respect to the former formulation, the description of the J 2 effect is improved by including also the changes that this perturbation produces in both relative mean longitude and relative inclination vector during a drifting phase, when a non-vanishing relative semi-major axis is required. The second major improvement consists in a general empirical formulation to include the mean effects produced by non-conservative perturbations, such as the differential aerodynamic drag acceleration. As a result, in addition to the well-known actions on the relative semi-major axis and on the mean along-track separation, the model is able to reflect the mean variation of the relative eccentricity vector due to atmospheric density oscillations produced by day and night transitions.

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Differential Drag as a Means of Spacecraft Formation Control

Cited by 52 publications

References 12 publications

Satellite cluster flight using on-off cyclic control

Satellite cluster flight using on-off cyclic control

Autonomous Formation Flying and Proximity Operations Using Differential Drag on the Mars Atmosphere

Model of $$J_2$$ J 2 perturbed satellite relative motion with time-varying differential drag

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