Research Of Satellite Formation Configuration At Critical Inclination

Nowadays, the perturbations are taken as interference to design formation and control strategy on this basis in most research of satellite formation. But the effect of J₂ perturbation in near-Earth orbit is very large. Too much fuel will be consumed through the way of orbit control. The task of satellite formation flying can not accept the strategy because of the much cost.In order to solve this problem, we use the satellite relative motion equations including perturbations to design the satellite formation at critical inclination that accommodated J₂ perturbation. In this thesis, the passive and periodic circular-like formations using the periodic conditions are designed. The passive and periodic circular-like formations have strong periodic constraint, so it is disadvantage to design the geometry constraints. In order to release more DOFS for the geometry design, we use the quasi-periodic conditions to design the formation. The quasi-periodic satellite formation accommodated J₂ perturbation is obtained. It release one DOF for geometry design.The simulation results show that the passive and periodic circular-like and quasi-periodic satellite formations accommodated J₂ perturbation very well. The formation is almost not change under the J₂ perturbation, so it can reduce active control and fuel consumption. Simultaneously the simulations are completed for the other perturbations and obtained that J3 and J4 perturbation, the sectorial and tesseral harmonics perturbation are the main perturbations except J₂ perturbation. And these perturbations have an affect on satellite formation which provides direction for study of satellite formation later.