Formation deployment & separation simulation of multi-satellite Scenarios using SatLauncher
- Resource Type
- Conference
- Authors
- Bridges, Christopher P.; Sauter, Luke; Palmer, Phil
- Source
- 2011 Aerospace Conference Aerospace Conference, 2011 IEEE. :1-9 Mar, 2011
- Subject
- Aerospace
Communication, Networking and Broadcast Technologies
Computing and Processing
Fields, Waves and Electromagnetics
Transportation
Signal Processing and Analysis
Satellites
Equations
Mathematical model
Orbits
Vehicle dynamics
Dynamics
Vehicles
- Language
- ISSN
- 1095-323X
Satellite constellation deployment for formation flying missions is one of the key areas for consideration when realizing the final constellation with reduced propellant mass requirements on the propulsion system. 1 2 The use of a single launch vehicle to deploy multiple satellites into a formation is faster and cheaper but there is greater risk of collision. This risk must be managed with the competing desire to establish a relatively tight formation for better inter-satellite communication. The launcher attitude, satellite injection times and velocities are key parameters to safely achieve a given separation distance and distribution.