Prisma - Demonstration Mission for Advanced Rendezvous and Formation Flying Technologies and Sensors

Paper number

IAC-05-B5.6.B.07

Author

Mr. Staffan Persson, Swedish Space Corporation, Sweden

Coauthor

Mr. Björn Jacobsson, Swedish Space Corporation, Sweden

Year

2005

Abstract

PRISMA is a technology mission, primarily aiming at the demonstration of guidance and navigation strategies for rendezvous and coarse formation flying in space, and validation of associated sensor technologies. The project is funded to a major part by the Swedish National Space Board, but is also supported by in-kind contributions of DLR, Alcatel Space and Danish Technical University.
The project has entered phase B, aiming at a preliminary desighn review (PDR) in November 2005, and a launch during 2008.
The primary goals are to perform Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) demonstrations and sensor technology experiments for a family of future missions where rendezvous and /or formation flying are a necessary prerequisite. A high level of autonomy shall be implemented, and the satellites shall be operated as one entity. 
The GNC demonstrations are divided into four categories: 
- Autonomous Formation Flying and Relative Motion
- Homing and Rendez-Vous 
- Proximity Operations
- Final Approach and Recede Operations. 
The sensor technologies are:
- GPS/DGPS and associated techniques for autonomous formation flying (supported by DLR)
- RF metrology, i.e. validation of the RF technology intended for Darwin (supported by Alcatel Space).
- Vision Based Sensor, a star tracker based sensor for both long and short range tracking (supported by DTU).
The mission consists of two spacecraft, one advanced and highly manoeuvrable satellite called “Main”, and one simplified spacecraft without manoeuvrability called “Target”. The preliminary mass of the satellites are 140 kg and 40 kg respectively. 
The two spacecrafts shall be launched together into a LEO orbit at around 600-1000 km altitude, preferably in a Sun-Synchronous orbit. The operations will be conducted from the Swedish ground station at Esrange in northern Sweden. The mission lifetime is approximately 8 months.

Abstract document

IAC-05-B5.6.B.07.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-05-B5.6.B.07.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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