Satellite Formation Mission Optimization with a Multi-Impulse Design

Abstract

Satellite formation flight has emerged as a method to increase science return and enable missions that had been impossible with a single spacecraft. Formations often must maintain a precise geometry, which complicates mission design, given natural orbit dynamics. This paper presents a multi-impulse formation design strategy that is a compromise between active control and drift solutions. This design formulation is applied to optimize the magnetospheric multiscale tetrahedron mission using two optimization algorithms, a hierarchical strategy, and a particle swarm approach. Results are presented for a variety of multi-impulse problem specifications, including formation attitude, demonstrating that a multi-impulse solution is a viable strategy that can dramatically improve formation accuracy and longevity at minimal fuel cost. The impact of perturbing forces on optimal designs and their costs is also characterized.