Global Optimal Trajectory Planning for Formation Flying Missions
Abstract: Recently, formation flying missions emerge because of their reliability, robustness and scalability in operation over single large spacecraft. Depending on the mission requirements satellites in a formation have to reconfigure themselves into new formation structure. This procedure involves several factors such as fuel optimization, collision and plume avoidance. The method which is used in this thesis implements random expansion trees for each satellite while taking into account all presented constraints. This method is meant to be executed offline. The solution to the problem is asymptotically optimal, that is to say that as iteration number goes to infinity the probability of the solution to be optimal becomes one.
NetSat project which is being developed as 4 CubeSat formation flying mission is considered as an example to analyze possible reconfiguration maneuvers. Additionally restriction coming from power subsystem was also considered. The algorithm was simulated for several reconfiguration maneuvers with added obstacles roaming around. The analyses for the results for these example maneuvers are presented. Finally the algorithm’s performance against iteration is evaluated.
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