STATION HOLDING ALGORITHM OF SATELLITE CONSTELLATION IN LOW TERRESTRIAL ORBIT WITH ABSOLUTE ALTITUDE CONTROL

摘要

Algorithm for station keeping a satellite constellation to maintain the relative positioning between satellites of a low Earth orbit constellation with minimal maneuvering while maintaining the altitude of the constellation. In an exemplary algorithm, several satellites or a ground station are configured with a controller implementing an absolute altitude control algorithm. The satellites are launched into a plurality of slots of a low Earth orbit. The orbit position of each satellite is controlled using the absolute altitude control algorithm, so that each satellite can drift to or near the limit of a positioning box that defines its slot, and the Each satellite's altitude is piloted at a fixed target altitude to reverse the drift of the satellite in its niche.