Coordinated Orbital Control for Satellite Constellations and Formations

Abstract

Preserving the desired orbital configuration under perturbing effects is an important issue for multiple satellite rnissions concepts. Several guidance strategies have been proposed in the past, airning to reduce the ground station workload. The experience gained on this subject at the Universiti:l di Roma is presented, outlining the approaches studied, their advantages and their drawbacks. A comprehensive model, based on the work by Mclnnes on the potential function method, is introduced