FORMATION FLYING: A SUBJECT BEING FAST UNFOLDING IN SPACE

Wang Xiang, John Leif Jorgensen OerstedDTUMI Building 327, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark Phone: +45 4525 3604, Fax: +4525 7133, E_mail: wx@oersted.dtu.dk ABSTRACT With the rapid development of space science and technology, the possibility for multi-segment missions has lately received substantial focus. This is especially true for smaller spacecrafts, where they together form a formation, in order to collectively perform measurements that often surpass what a single big satellite can achieve. Satellites formation flying is consequently a very popular but also difficult discipline of the worlds space centers. Many new and exciting ideas are emerging in this area every year. This paper provides a survey of operational, as well as planned, space missions involving formation flying aspects, which have been developed by different countries and space agencies. From an analysis of these missions, by making appropriate comparisons between the satellites constellation and formation flights, a synthesis aimed at reach appropriate definitions of formation flights are performed. Using these analysis the paper then address the several guidance, navigation and control problems that are native to formation flying missions. Finally, an example of system configuration (including space and ground segment), mainly emphasis on the satellites attitude and orbit control subsystem, is given to illustrate one of the formation flying missions presently being under phase B development. 1. BACKGROUND Over the next decade, a revolution is likely to occur in the world space field that more and more small satellites will fly in many kind of formation in universe. Formation flying small satellites can be used in many aspects. Much shorter and precise baselines can be established between the satellites. The satellites can then be combined as part of a virtual satellite that should provide previously unobtainable science data using mass produced, single-string, relatively cheap satellite. Multiple scientific instruments often present competing and conflicting requirements on one satellite design and its operation. Separating scientific payloads onto several simpler single-string satellites, especially the small satellites, can accomplish the same complex missions without the added design and operational overhead, while risking only one payload at a time. Another reason to use small satellites formation flying is due to the sensitivity of scientific instruments which can often be increased by expanding the effective observation baselines (separation distances). This can easily be achieved by distributing the scientific instruments over many separate satellites, which will make these missions routine and cost effective. Thus, small satellites formation flying has opened a new path for space science and technology,

2. MISSIONS INVOLVING FORMATION FLYING ASPECTS By now, many countries and space agencies have proposed or made in operation many space missions involving formation flying aspects. Table 1 shows some of these missions as the following.
Table 1: The formation flying mission list and its related information

No.*

Mission Name

Constructor

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

EO-1 GRACE ESSAIM TechSat21 Interferometric CARTWHEEL LISA Pathfinder PRISMA SMARTSAT-1 SWARM PROBA-3 MAX XUES DARWIN BEES MAGNAS

NASA NASA CNES AFRL CNES ESA SSC JAXA ESA ESA ESA ESA ESA EADS Astrium DTU

Mass of the Formation Flying spacecraft(kg) 530 430 120 150 130 To Be Determined Micro-sat. 150 240 150 200 To Be Determined 500 20 40

Launched/ Projected Launch Year 2000 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2007 2008 2009 2009 2010 2010+ 2014 2015+ 2015+

*Remarks: No. is listed by the ascending order of Launched/Projected Launch Year

3. THE CHARACTERISTIC OF FORMATION FLIGHT The concept of formation flying satellites is frequently confused with that of a satellite constellation. As defined by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, a constellation is composed of two or more spacecraft in similar orbits with no active control by either to maintain a relative position. In contrast, Formation flight involves the use of an active control scheme to maintain the relative positions of the spacecraft. We should say that the definition of the formation flight is very rigid and restrict. Nowadays, with more and more space missions concerning formation flying, we can understand this definition in a broad way as the following: 1) Active control scheme: The scheme can be executed in orbit or on-board, but it can also be implemented on the ground. It can be executed real-time, also can be implemented post-time. 2) Relative position: The measurement of relative position can be direct or indirect. Direct measurement is usually applied to the precisely tight formation flight while the indirect one is often used in the coarsely loose formation flight. Relying on the above understanding, we can do a brief comparison between the satellites constellation and formation flight. For constellation, the relative position and velocity between the spacecraft are not

controlled, except to orbital station keeping points predefined at mission design. But for the formation flight, the relative position and velocity between the spacecraft are controlled and possibly at certain parts also the relative attitudes. For constellation, there is no plane defined for the inter spacecraft positions other than the orbital planes. While for the formation Flight, a plane is defined for the inter spacecraft positions with an arbitrary orientation in space and with respect to a possible local orbital frame. 4. THE GNC PROBLEM UNIQUE TO THE FORMATION FLIGHT Formation flying is a key technology that involves multi-spacecraft operations. Following lists the most important problem involving guidance, navigation and control (GNC) system, which is unique to the formation flight. 1) Relative Navigation Relative navigation is the estimation of relative positions based on the measurements between adjacent spacecraft. It includes the sensors, metrology systems, and the wave-front error sensing systems and algorithms needed to determine relative position and attitude, either for direct science purposes or for feedback control. For some satellites involving formation flying mission, theres a guidance and navigation subsystem. The objective of the subsystem is to determine the position and velocity vectors of the satellite as a function of time. As the simplest configuration, the subsystem will mainly consist of three components: the GPS antenna, GPS receiver and relative navigation software. 2) Formation Control Formation control is responsible for rejecting disturbances, maintaining formation stability and commanding the formation. Specifically, this involves the application of forces and moments required to regulate and/or track desired formation geometry. Formation control includes the actuators, other components and algorithms, together with autonomy and higher-level command and control. For many cases, the function of formation control is coupled with that of the attitude and orbit control, especially the software of formation control and attitude control. 5. SWARM: ONE FORMATION FLYING MISSION SWARM is a mission of the Earths magnetic field and environment explorers. The SWARM concept (shown in figure 2) consists of three satellites in 3 orbital planes with 2 different near-polar inclinations to provide mutual orbital plane drift over time. Two satellites are in a similar plane of 87.4 inclination and one satellite is in a plane of 86.8 inclination. The two satellites in the 87.4 inclination orbit will fly at 450km mean altitude, their East-West separation will be 1-1.5, and the maximal differential delay in orbit will be approximately 10s. The satellite in the lower inclination orbit will fly at 530km mean altitude.

Figure 2: SWARM mission with 3 satellites

From the definition of the types of formation flight, the SWARM missions formation flying aspects are mainly concerned with the two satellites in the 87.4 inclination orbit. They formed a side-by-side formation, thus there will be the formation keeping or formation maneuvering. Following is the satellites system configuration of the SWARM mission, mainly emphasis on the attitude and orbit control subsystem (AOCS). The purpose of AOCS is to stabilize the satellite and oriented it in the desired direction during the mission despite the presence of external disturbance torques. Meeting this goal requires the use of sensors to determine attitude and actuators to control. The SWARMs AOCS is tightly coupled with the propulsion system, and the choice of control method has profound effects on these systems and on mission design. Based on an overall system performance trade studies, the AOCS maintains the SWARM satellite attitude within a control band of <5 deg around roll, pitch and yaw. The subsystem is based on a cold gas propulsion system and magnetic torques as actuators and star tracker, magnetometer, coarse Sun/Earth sensors for attitude determination. A GPS receiver provides timing and position determination. The AOCS operates in the three basic modes: Normal, Orbit Control (OC) and Acquisition & Safe Mode as illustrated in the following Figure 3. The transitions between modes are either automatic (A) or commanded from ground (TC). The detail design of AOCS and the formation flying modules will be finished in about half a year time.

Figure 3: AOCS modes

6. CONCLUTIONS Formation Flying is quickly revolutionizing the way the space community conducts autonomous science missions around the earth and in space. This technological revolution will provide new, innovative ways for the community to gather scientific information, share this information between space vehicles and the ground. Once fully matured, this technology will result in swarms of space vehicles flying as a virtual platform and gathering significantly more and better science data than is possible today. 7. REFERENCES
[1] http://www.esa.int [2] REPORTS FOR MISSION SELECTION THE SIX CANDIDATE EARTH EXPLORER MISSIONS, ESA Technical & Programmatic Annex, April 2004 [3] D. C. Folta, L. K. Newman and T. Gardner, Foundations of Formation Flying for Mission to Planet Earth and New Millennium, AIAA-96-3645-CP, NASA Goddard Space Center, 1996 [4] W. J. Larson and J. R. Wertz, ed., Space Mission Analysis and Design, 2nd edition, Microcosm, Torrance, CA, 1992 [5] Jesse Leitner, Formation Flying The future of remote sensing from space [6] Frank H. Bauer, Kate Hartman, Jonathan P. How, John Bristow, David Weidow, Franz Busse, Enabling Spacecraft Formation Flying through Spaceborne GPS and Enhanced Automation Technologies [7] Gokhan Inalhan, Franz D. Busse, Jonathan P. How, Precise formation flying control of multiple spacecraft using carrier-phase differential GPS etc.