Developing novel multi-plane satellite constellation deployment methods using the concept of nodal precession

Abstract

• Multi-plane satellite constellations can be deployed using J 2 perturbation effects. • Two methods are proposed to deploy a satellite constellation with a single launch. • Deployment methods have been optimized multi-objectively in terms of time and required velocity change. Deployment of multi-plane satellite constellations has become a fresh challenge in the space program missions since all the direct solutions including plane changing maneuvers and separate launches are energy and time-consuming. A proposed solution to this challenge is launching several satellites simultaneously and deploying them using gravitational perturbations of the Earth. Utilizing this solutions, only in-plane satellite maneuvers are sufficient to deploy a constellation of satellites in several orbital planes. The aim of this study is to extend and develop the present methods that use the concept of nodal precession to deploy a multi-plane satellite constellation with only one launch in order to cover a wider range of mission specifications, provide mathematical expressions for the total deployment time and the fuel expenditure of these methods, optimize the methods multi-objectively and provide a thorough analysis and comparison between them. Two general methods are proposed in this study; one that places all the satellites in a parking orbit and injects them into their final orbits sequentially, and one that first places them in different drifting orbits and after a certain amount of time, maneuvers them to their final orbits. The findings of the optimization process suggest that the method which involves all the satellites in the process of deployment simultaneously and by this means exploits the full nodal precessing potential of all of them provides better results in comparison with the method with a more passive approach, which considers the deployment a sequential process. Finally, since this mathematical modeling is performed for the first time in the literature, the mathematical expressions for both methods are analyzed to provide beneficial insights for the designers.