FORMATION FLIGHT OF EARTH SATELLITES ON KAM TORI

摘要

Komolgorov, Arnold and Moser (KAM) theory provides that orbits of satelliteswhose dynamics are representable by an integrable Hamiltonian plus a small,real perturbation lie on tori in phase space and remain upon the KAM tori forall time, unless acted on by a non-conservative force. A refined technique forconstructing KAM tori for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites is developed andimplemented using numerically integrated orbital data for hypothetical satellitesand involving methods of Fourier analysis and spectral decomposition.Definition of satellite formations on the KAM tori is performed and analysesconducted to investigate both constellations with large separations and clusterswith small separations. Cluster formations with physical secular drift rates onthe order of nanometers to micrometers per second are obtained.