Ultra-High Accurate Attitude Determination and Control of Microsatellite Formation Flight

Abstract

Nowadays, technology and space science are developing rapidly, providing new possibilities for multi-segment missions to become a frequent practice. This relates to small satellites, which could be used to organize a formation, in order to solve complex scientific and applied problems. A formation could serve as distributed instruments for atmospheric sampling, construct a large distributed antenna platform, or make a large distributed aperture for imaging and other applications what only a big satellite can achieve. Small satellite’s formation flying is low cost space project compared to one big satellite. However, to develop satellite formation a lot of problems should be solved depending on its mission.

One of the important tasks in small satellite formation is an accurate determination and control of position and attitude.  This paper provides a mathematical modelling of a small satellite’s formation motion, which is essential to realize a synthetic aperture telescope. Furthermore, the paper describes the principle of formation configuration and its design. 

Keywords

• geostationary orbit,formation flight,formation flying control,microsatellite

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