Control and reconfiguration of satellite formations by electromagnetic forces

Abstract

Current concept of interferometric missions assume that they employ formations of spacecraft. The cooperation between members of a multisatellite formation is a challenging problem. One of the main difficulties is to implement a reliable system for position control and actuation. A precise control of the position and orientation of each satellite in the array is a key factor in obtaining high quality images of distant objects. The controlling system should frequently collect data about geometry and kinematics of all array elements and use actuators to keep them as close as possible to their nominal positions. Forces that are required for actuation or array reconfiguration in space can be produced by engines of various types. In most cases chemical propulsion is used, with a drawback of limited fuel resources and a danger of polluting optical elements. In our work, we analyze dynamics of satellite formation flight, in which interaction forces result from electromagnetic fields generated by coils with current. We use simple controller equation proposed by members of MIT team to control a formation of two or three aligned satellites rotating around the array’s mass center.