Investigation of electromagnetic control for formation flight applications

Laila Mireille Elias; Edmund M. Kong; David W. Miller

doi:10.1117/12.460678

18 December 2002 An investigation of electromagnetic control for formation flight applications

Laila Mireille Elias, Edmund M. Kong, David W. Miller

Proceedings Volume 4849, Highly Innovative Space Telescope Concepts; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.460678
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 2002, Waikoloa, Hawai'i, United States

Abstract

The use of propellant to maintain the relative orientation of multiple spacecraft in a sparse aperture telescope such as NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) poses several issues. These include fuel depletion, optical contamination, plume impingement, thermal emission, and vibration excitation. An alternative is to eliminate the need for propellant, except for orbit transfer, and replace it with electromagnetic control. Relative separation, relative attitude, and inertial rotation of the array can all be controlled by creating electromagnetic dipoles on each spacecraft and varying their strengths and orientations. This paper addresses some of the control issues that arise when using electromagnets to control formation geometry.

Citation Download Citation

Laila Mireille Elias, Edmund M. Kong, and David W. Miller "An investigation of electromagnetic control for formation flight applications", Proc. SPIE 4849, Highly Innovative Space Telescope Concepts, (18 December 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.460678

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available