Experimental Investigation of Distributed Attitude Control for Spacecraft Formation Flying.

摘要

Formation flying missions are continually growing in size and complexity, and the requirement for ground-based demonstration of distributed systems grows with them. However, simulating the on-orbit environment shared by a group of satellites is a difficult task. The primary purpose of this DURIP project was established a Distributed Attitude Control Systems Simulator (DSACSS) in the Space Systems Simulation Laboratory (SSSL) at Virginia Tech. The DSACSS comprises two spherical air bearing spacecraft simulators manufactured by Space Electronics, Inc. in Berlin, CT. One of these simulators was purchases with internal VT funding and the second was purchased as part of this DURIP project. This report describes the state of the art of existing spacecraft simulators, the Distributed Spacecraft Attitude Control System Simulator, as well as several projects that we are undertaking with this unique new facility.