Combining Small Satellites Across Applications and Orbits
- Paper number
IAC-08.B4.4.A9
- Author
Mr. Doug Liddle, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Dr. Susan Jason, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Dr. Kathryn O''Donnell, SSTL, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Dr. Philip Whittaker, SSTL, United Kingdom
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Well known advantages of operating satellites in constellations and formations over operating single satellites include:
- Increased revisit rates
- Increased ground coverage
- Increased measurement frequency
- Increased measurement types
- Creation of large virtual apertures
- Improved system robustness
Most constellations to date have focussed on providing a core application (Earth resources, disaster monitoring, communications, navigation etc) and the satellites tend to be located in a set, local orbital geometry.
SSTL proposes the novel addition of an attached communications payload to a GEO spacecraft which would allow tasking of an existing LEO constellation – such as SSTL’s Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) – when out of view of a ground station network. This would exploit the existing omni-coverage of the LEO satellites TTC antenna to provide additional command capability.
No additional hardware will be required on the existing LEO satellites and it is proposed that the GEO attached payload can be incorporated at an acceptable cost. The attached payload will significantly enhance the responsiveness of the LEO constellation and will provide the first step in building a coordinated multi-user, multi-constellation capability with performance exceeding the sum of its parts.
This paper describes the attached GEO payload, then presents a number of mission scenarios which will take advantage of the flexibility of the enhanced mission configuration. These scenarios will allow the commercial assessment of the benefits of linking a GEO asset to a LEO constellation and will also make predictions of the benefits to future missions using the intended characteristics of the SSTL DMC 2 and DMC 3 constellations. The description of these scenarios will also consider the commercial service arrangements which will make these capabilities achievable.
Following the discussion of the LEO EO / GEO Comms integrated mission, the inclusion of additional, functionally different LEO, MEO and GEO satellites into this multi-orbit, multi-application constellation will be assessed. It is proposed to compare the space based implementation of linking satellite constellations with the costs of performing the same functionality via an expanded ground segment.
Finally, the benefits of using an IPv6 protocol (and on-board routing) for spacecraft and payload communication in the network layer will be explored. This will illustrate the benefits of a COTS approach to improve flexibility by taking advantage of rapid improvements in efficiency of data transfer and hardware driven by terrestrial needs.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.B4.4.A9.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.