A GENERIC RADIO-FREQUENCY SUBSYSTEM FOR HIGH-ALTITUDE FORMATION-FLYING MISSIONS

摘要

Formation Flying (FF) is a new technological break-rnthrough for future space missions. It will dramat-rnically improve mission performances in science andrnobservation areas. Relative dynamics shall be con-rntrolled by servo-loops techniques using very accu-rnrate actuators, along with metrology sensors thatrnexchange information between spacecrafts. ThalesrnAlenia Space has been a pioneer in FF metrology,rnstarting with the DARWIN concept in 2000, un-rnder ESA contract. The generic Radio-FrequencyrnSubsystem (RFS) is currently under development,rnthe first flight models being delivered by early 2008,rnin the frame of the FFIORD contribution of CNESrnto the Swedish PRISMA mission. The RFS is de-rnsigned to fulfil a wide set of missions, providing au-rntonomous relative positioning (with accuracyrnof 1 cm / 1 deg), inter-vehicle communicationrn(with data rate of 12 kbps at 30 km), as wellrnas collision avoidance services.