Autonomous Formation Flight using Solar Radiation Pressure

[en] Autonomous formation flight enables new satellite missions for novel applications. The cost and limits of propulsion systems can be overcome if environmental resources are being benefitted of. Currently, atmospheric drag is used in low Earth orbit to this end. Solar radiation pressure, which is of similar order of magnitude as aerodynamic ram pressure, is, however, always neglected. We introduce this force and show that it can be exploited. We demonstrate through simulations that a formation geometry is established quicker if the solar radiation pressure is modeled.

Research center :

Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) > Applied Security and Information Assurance Group (APSIA)

Disciplines :

Aerospace & aeronautics engineering

Author, co-author :

THOEMEL, Jan ; University of Luxembourg > Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SNT) > Remote Sensing

VAN DAM, Tonie ; University of Luxembourg > Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SNT) > Remote Sensing

External co-authors :

Language :

English

Title :

Autonomous Formation Flight using Solar Radiation Pressure

Publication date :

15 December 2020

Journal title :

CEAS Space Journal

ISSN :

1868-2502

eISSN :

1868-2510

Publisher :

Springer, Wien, Germany

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Funders :

University of Luxembourg - UL

Available on ORBilu :

since 15 February 2022

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