Design and evaluation of optimal reconfiguration maneuvers for separated space interferometry

Separated space interferometers require performing different type of maneuvers during their lifetime: resizing, rotating and slewing. They shall be conducted within a given period while maintaining a constrained formation. Moreover, the maneuvers and their implementation must be designed considering fuel expenditure optimization at formation level and its balancing between different satellites. This paper presents, based on the characterization of requirements and constraints, a set of algorithms for centralized optimal formation planning and coordination. These algorithms consider operational constraints (i.e. relative navigation) and are valid upon real mission conditions (i.e. perturbations and intersatellite link) and suitable for on-board implementation. They have been tuned, validated and benchmarked on a detailed formation flying functional simulator customized for the Formation Reconfiguration Mode of the ESA's Darwin mission, consisting of a formation of seven satellites around L2.