Nanosatellite Formation Flying to Enhance Science in Binary Asteroid Environment

Abstract

In the recent years, nanosatellites based missions are becoming of great interest in the space programs panorama, since they offer the possibility of a wider hardware distribution, costs reduction and losses mitigation in case of failures. A distribution of nanosatellites would also grant a wide coverage of the space region under study, allowing better mapping or sampling, together with an enhancement of communications thanks to a distributed links net. The achievement of these objectives requires, however, the distribution of the spacecraft to have peculiar configuration geometries or to satisfy particular constraints, therefore deep study on the formation flying strategies has to be conducted. With reference to the future mission AIDA (Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment) and the target binary asteroid system “Dydimos”, the present study shows results of the research on periodic orbits in the Circular Restricted Three Body Problem frame, applied to irregular gravitational fields generated by the asteroids, to provide a set of suitable trajectories to maintain a formation of nanosatellites. After a general overview on the algorithms and computational strategies adopted, various orbit families in the asteroids environment are shown, highlighting differences with their equivalent in the point masses model. Then, configurations of a two satellites formation are searched to maximize the shape maintenance while satisfying the mission requirements. Finally, suggestions of possible improvements of the research are given.

Paolo Lunghi

Assistant Professor of Aerospace Systems

Aiming for autonomous Guidance, Navigation, and Control for spacecraft.