A Review of Modern Methods for Planning and Scheduling of the Operations in Advanced Space Systems

Abstract

The paper gives overview of modern research on planning and scheduling of new generation of large groups of satellites, analyzes current methods and algorithms of planning and scheduling, considers their practical applications and main future trends. The list of requirements for developing new methods and algorithms for planning and scheduling is identified. The problem statement is formulated which shows multi-objective complexity of planning and scheduling for groups of satellites. A number of conflicting requirements are identified generated by demands and resources, including fast changing meteorological parameters, ballistic constraints, video cameras restrictions, satellite battery constraints, ground stations and communication lines requirements, etc. It is shown that the main part of developed methods and tools is still oriented on centralized control of resources and based on different heuristics for reducing exhausted combinatorial search of globally optimal options. These methods and tools do not consider networking nature of new generation of satellites groups which requires negotiations and conflict solving among orders and satellites in future. These new generation of satellites groups also requires high adaptability and flexibility, individuality, scalability, performance and reliability of future groups of satellites. One of new trends in adaptive planning and scheduling is multi-agent technology where agents of demands and resource can make matching on virtual market. But it requires new efforts not only on new generation software developments for designing open self-organized systems (swarms of satellites) but also on direct communication between satellites and ground stations. Developing such smart swarms of satellites will provide new features, benefits and values for customers.