Satellite Constellations and Formation

Description:

Space missions based on multiple satellites are becoming predominant in the space sector due to the technical and economical advantages that they provide. This course aims to provide an introduction to the design and study of these systems, covering both satellite formation flying and satellite constellations around the Earth. Both analytical and numerical tools will be presented to define and understand the basis of mission analysis under orbital perturbations, the use of differential motion in satellite formation flying and their related maneuvers, the intrinsic relations between uniform satellite distributions and number theory, and the design and analysis of satellite constellations for different applications.

Prerequisites:

A previous course in astrodynamics (for example AAE 490 Orbital Analysis, AAE 532 Orbital Mechanics or equivalent).