Deployment/Stationkeeping Dynamics of N Body Orbiting Sat Constellation

The trend to develop small low-cost spacecraft hasled many to recognize the advantage of flyingmultiple spacecraft in formation to achieve thecorrelated instrument measurements formerly possibleonly by flying many instruments on a single largeplatform. This book explores the techniques forstation keeping an orbiting constellation ofsatellites in an elliptical orbit after the initialdeployment is developed. Constellation stationkeeping were investigated by: implementing variouspropulsive maneuvers at different times based onLagrange's planetary equations for impulsiveperturbations; a combination of propulsive strategiesthat deliberately shifted the line of apsides and LQRfb employing the Tschauner and Hempel equations.Analyses for deploying are developed and evaluatedbased on: non-linear two point boundary value problemvia Pontryagin's Prin; numerical techniques using theshooting method; optimal thrust in near min and mintime. This book sheds light on recent advances in thefield of astronautical sciences and should proveuseful for the practicing professional or forconducting research in spaceflight mechanics. MATLABprograms included.