An Experimental Platform for Multi-spacecraft Phase-Array Communications

The emergence of small satellites and CubeSats for interplanetary exploration will mean hundreds if not thousands of spacecraft exploring every corner of the solar-system. Current methods for communication and tracking of deep space probes use ground based systems such as the Deep Space Network (DSN). However, the increased communication demand will require radically new methods to ease communication congestion. Networks of communication relay satellites located at strategic locations such as geostationary orbit and Lagrange points are potential solutions. Instead of one large communication relay satellite, we could have scores of small satellites that utilize phase arrays to effectively operate as one large satellite. Excess payload capacity on rockets can be used to warehouse more small satellites in the communication network. The advantage of this network is that even if one or a few of the satellites are damaged or destroyed, the network still operates but with degraded performance. The satellite network would operate in a distributed architecture and some satellites maybe dynamically repurposed to split and communicate with multiple targets at once. The potential for this alternate communication architecture is significant, but this requires development of satellite formation flying and networking technologies. Our research has found neural-network control approaches such as the Artificial Neural Tissue can be effectively used to control multirobot/multi-spacecraft systems and can produce human competitive controllers. We have been developing a laboratory experiment platform called Athena to develop critical spacecraft control algorithms and cognitive communication methods. We briefly report on the development of the platform and our plans to gain insight into communication phase arrays for space.Comment: 4 pages, 10 figures, IEEE Cognitive Communications for Aerospace Applications Worksho

End to End Satellite Servicing and Space Debris Management

There is growing demand for satellite swarms and constellations for global positioning, remote sensing and relay communication in higher LEO orbits. This will result in many obsolete, damaged and abandoned satellites that will remain on-orbit beyond 25 years. These abandoned satellites and space debris maybe economically valuable orbital real-estate and resources that can be reused, repaired or upgraded for future use. Space traffic management is critical to repair damaged satellites, divert satellites into warehouse orbits and effectively de-orbit satellites and space debris that are beyond repair and salvage. Current methods for on-orbit capture, servicing and repair require a large service satellite. However, by accessing abandoned satellites and space debris, there is an inherent heightened risk of damage to a servicing spacecraft. Sending multiple small-robots with each robot specialized in a specific task is a credible alternative, as the system is simple and cost-effective and where loss of one or more robots does not end the mission. In this work, we outline an end to end multirobot system to capture damaged and abandoned spacecraft for salvaging, repair and for de-orbiting. We analyze the feasibility of sending multiple, decentralized robots that can work cooperatively to perform capture of the target satellite as a first step, followed by crawling onto damage satellites to perform detailed mapping. After obtaining a detailed map of the satellite, the robots will proceed to either repair and replace or dismantle components for salvage operations. Finally, the remaining components will be packaged with a de-orbit device for accelerated de-orbit.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, Space Traffic Management Conference. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1809.02028, arXiv:1809.04459, arXiv:1901.0971