The fuel consumption analysis for satellite formation reconfiguration based on three-impulsive approach

Currently micro/nano satellites have become the protagonists in most formation flying missions, and there is an urgent demand to propose a reliable approach for quick fuel estimation of multiple-impulsive scheme on-board to achieve formation reconfiguration problems. This paper presents an optimal control approach based on multiple impulses for satellite formation in-plane reconfiguration issue in near circular orbit. Based on initial small deviation in the cylindrical coordinates system, a relative orbit motion expression is investigated, and a time-varying propagate system without perturbation is presented in this paper, which is suitable to calculate the solution of relative orbital maneuver by multiple impulses. The formation reconfiguration problem of this relative orbit motion is considered, and orbital motion equations with initial deviations are presented for relative orbital transfer calculation. Through different combinations of method from normal four-impulsive solution, the optimal three-impulsive method for relative orbital transfer in plane is obtained by analysis solution based on graphical and numerical way. In the end of paper, the effectivity and optimality of method is validated, and fuel consumption is analyzed through simulations of assumptive different formation reconfiguration missions.