Satellites en formation pilotés par la pression de la radiation solaire

(cliquer les schémas pour les voir en grand)

" Currently there is considerable interest in flying two or more satellites together because satellite formation flight brings both high reliability and cost reduction for space missions. Satellite formation flight mission takes a long time, so long-term perturbation effects such as Earth oblateness perturbation should be countered to maintain the formation, or the satellite formation would be pulled apart. A satellite with a solar wing receives solar radiation pressure, which can be harnessed in maintaining satellite formation flight. " (Abstract)

" If a relatively small reflective surface is properly oriented on a satellite, a net torque to the orbit over each revolution can be achieved to counter the oblateness perturbation effect, which increases the difference of longitude of ascending node between satellite orbits and pulls the formation apart. We term the small surface a solar wing, to distinguish it from solar sails, which are usually considerably larger for large orbital changes. " (p. 6)

" We designed a solar wing steering logic to control the out-of-plane motion and in-plane motion simultaneously: see the diagram in Figure 5-7. The idea is to try to find a wing angle that satisfies the conditions for both out-of-plane motion control scheme and in-plane motion control scheme at the same time (...). " (p.81)

Dynamics Analysis of Satellite Formation Flight Using Solar Radiation Pressure, Zhong-Sheng Wang, University of Cincinnati, 2001