Formation flying enabling technologies for a big leap in science missions and perspectives for space projects

Paper number

IAC-06-D1.4.05

Author

Mr. Xavier Roser, Thales Alenia Space, France

Year

2006

Abstract

Up to now, any Scientific space project could only rely on the maximum payload accommodation capability  of a single satellite platform ,the latter being limited mostly by both the selected launcher capacity to transfer the whole satellite mass in the proper orbit and the launcher fairing available volume.This compulsorily constrained instruments like telescopes in terms of focal lengths, mirror surface and aperture sizes, and mass, and it prevented as well from any access in space to high performance concepts like for instance Large Base Interferometry payload. 
In the course of the last 5 years, a tremendous step has been taken in terms of mission concept for science application through the emergence of  Formation Flying configurations that have been proved feasible in the time frame of  the 5 to 10 years to come. Alcatel Alenia Space has been working continuously over this period on the assessment of system architectures, on development of key subsystems and on characterization of validation systems that will enable to fly such ambitious projects like DARWIN and PEGASE (near-IR nulling interferometer), XEUS and Simbol-X, (X-ray focusing telescopes ), MAX (Gamma-ray focusing telescope) , ASPICS (coronagraph for Sun observation ) . 
Items that that have been studied in detail at Alcatel Alenia Space covers all areas from the Metrology (RF and Optical subsystems under development) to the on-board GNC (applicable to several configurations from 2 to more than 3 satellites) and the characterization of micro-thrusters . Moreover, Alcatel Alenia Space has taken a very concrete step towards space validation with the involvement, behind the French space agency CNES, in the first in-flight Formation Flying Test bed developed by the Swedish space agency SNSB : PRISMA.

Abstract document

IAC-06-D1.4.05.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-06-D1.4.05.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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