Research On Orbit Optimization Of Refueling Constellation

The tentative plan of refueling satellites based on formation flying breaks through the traditionalonly refueling method based on rendezvous and docking, and provides a new thinking for the futureon-orbit refueling. However, to refuel non-coplanar constellation faces a series of difficult technicalproblems, such as high energy consumption and difficulties of task planning. This paper aims to notonly determine and optimize the supply orbit in the process of refueling non-coplanar constellationbased on formation flying mode, but also determine the optimal mission planning. Research works inthis thesis are summarized as follows:1. This paper determines the supplier’s approaching strategy in large-scale maneuvering, derive theoptimal transfer orbit between two non-coplanar orbits in general sense, and determine the supplier’soptimal approaching strategy by quantitatively comparing two common approaching strategies.2. This paper designs the replenishment locus to refuel non-coplanar constellation after determiningthe best supplier’s approaching strategy.3. This paper establishes the replenishment order’s mathematical model of refueling non-coplanarconstellation. First, based on the analysis of the necessary velocity increment in the supplier’smaneuver, we consider that the total velocity increment in the entire processing and the velocityincrement in orbital plane change are approximation. Second, we see each orbital plane to a point inthe same plane, the weight between two difference points are the velocity increment in orbital planechange, so we can get a weighted complete gragh. If we can seek a minimum weight’s Hamiltoniancycle, we can get the optimal replenishment order. At last, we use the minimum velocity instead ofminimum fuel consumption, and get the optimal replenishment order by solving TSP.4. This paper solves the problem of limited refuel ability afforded by single supplier, and multiplesuppliers refueling strategy with three performance indicators is put forward. We can get the refuelingplan by solving MTSP.5. This paper establishes the mathematical model of refuel utilization rate. Both the fuel consumedfor the supplier to perform orbit maneuvers and the fuel transferred to the workers are all optimized interms of the constrained genetic algorithm for the purpose of maximizing the utilization ratio.