Design and Optimization of an Autonomous Constellation of Small-satellites for LEO and Beyond

The speedy data reception with useful applications such as disaster management remains to be need of the hour. This paper addresses the major concerns relating to deployment and control of the larger small satellite (mainly cubesats) constellations in LEO by determining their relative position and velocity errors under certain acceptable limits with collision avoidance techniques. The article will also discuss the importance of Inter-satellite link to significantly to strengthen the satellite tracking and their data sharing speeds. The issue of optimal dispatch of the satellites by optimizing the constellation size is detailed though observing and controlling the orbits using a well-defined cost and objective function. Given the fact that the small satellites have certain physical constraints such as size and capacity to communicate among satellites and in-orbit exchange of resources, the overall control and optimization of the satellite coverage with travel time through a ground station and their orbit becomes inevitable. Hence, a detailed optimization analysis has been carried to observe and make important conclusions. Th same autonomy of a small satellite constellation is also discussed briefly for deep-space communication considering the cislunar space (NHRO) as one potential destination