INTELLIGENT SATELLITE TEAMS FOR SPACE SYSTEMS
Mark Campbell, K. F. Böhringer · 1999
This paper examines the development of Intelligent Satellite Teams (IST's) for complex space missions such as construction of space hardware, or Earth or space science. IST's are composed of many nanosatellites (mass < 10kg) or picosatellites (mass < 10g). IST development is a synergy of many disciplines, such as: intelligent control including formation flying, collision avoidance, knowledge sharing, and adaptive reconfiguration; microtechnology including microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microfabricated sensors and actuators, nanotechnology, and integrated wireless communication; mission analysis -- high-level planning and control of mission, satellites, and procedures. Recent rapid technological advances in these fields open up exciting new possibilities for future space missions: space science missions such as testing gravitational variation, detecting and characterizing near-Earth asteroids and comets, and comprehensive exploration of the solar system; Earth science missions ...