Optimization of Fuel Consumption with Respect to Orbital Requirements for High Resolution Remote Sensing Satellite Constellations

Among applications of formation flying, several case scenarios for High Resolution Remote Sensing Satellite Constellations were proposed in the literature. For a radar interferometric system a pair of satellites has to be at two different positions that are separated by a distance of several hundred meters during measurement sequence. The satellites can be either in the same orbit or in a part of approximately parallel orbits. During imaging the relative separation of the satellites has to be stable and precisely known. In the case of an optical payload, one satellite can hold the optical lens system and the other the imaging sensors. The satellites must fly one over the other or one behind the other at a close range. In the paper, several manoeuvres for Satellite Constellations are analysed and simulated with the respect to fuel consumption. A linear model based on Hill-Clohessy-Wiltshire equations is solved analytically for the fuel consumption analysis. Linear models are optimised serving an approximate solution with respect to optimal fuel consumption respecting constraints, such as maximal disposable time and the instant of required formation position. Better results are obtained when orbit eccentricity is taken into account, as shown in the simulated examples