System for controlling the deployment of spacecraft required to fly in formation, by simultaneous and high-precision determination of their positions

摘要

A system is dedicated to the control of the deployment of at least two spacecraft (ES1, ES2) which are provided with maneuvering means (MD1, MD2) and are intended to move according to a chosen formation. This system includes a control device (MM11, MM12, MT, MC1) comprising i) first measurement means (MM11, MM12, MT) responsible for determining substantially simultaneously and with high precision the orbital positions of the spacecraft (ES1, ES2), and ii) first calculation means (MC1) responsible for determining for each of the spacecraft, as a function of their orbital positions, maneuvers intended to position each of them at a chosen instant substantially in a chosen position with respect to a reference trajectory, having regard to the time law of a reference craft (ES1) on this reference trajectory (TR), so as to place the formation in a chosen configuration.