For many applications a distributed cluster of cooperating satellites offers distinct advantages over satellites functioning alone. These include optimization of mission performance and increased fault tolerance. Although there are many benefits, commanding and controlling a large cluster of cooperating satellites poses several challenges. These include how satellites in the cluster maintain knowledge of the other satellites in the cluster in order to react to contingencies and optimize resources, how to treat the cluster as a single virtual satellite in terms of ground command and control, and how to distribute resources across the cluster. The Space Vehicles Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is investigating many of these challenges through prototype development for the AFRL TechSat-21 program. This paper presents the challenges posed in cluster command and control and discusses several methods being developed to address those challenges.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Satellite cluster command and control


    Contributors:
    Zetocha, P. (author)


    Publication date :

    2000-01-01


    Size :

    687780 byte





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    Satellite Cluster Command and Control

    Zetocha, P. / Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2000


    AMOS Satellite Command & Control (SCC) Description

    Menaker, D. / Kenes Tel Aviv | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1998


    United Kingdom Satellite Command and Control Facility

    Kelly, Charles M. / Feldman, Nathaniel E. | AIAA | 1971



    Command and Control of UAV Swarms via Satellite

    Cassarà, Pietro / Colucci, Marco / Gotta, Alberto | Springer Verlag | 2018