A method for monitoring position of and controlling a second nanosatellite (NS) relative to a position of a first NS. Each of the first and second NSs has a rectangular or cubical configuration of independently activatable, current-carrying solenoids, each solenoid having an independent magnetic dipole moment vector, μ1 and μ2. A vector force F and a vector torque are expressed as linear or bilinear combinations of the first set and second set of magnetic moments, and a distance vector extending between the first and second NSs is estimated. Control equations are applied to estimate vectors, μ1 and μ2, required to move the NSs toward a desired NS configuration. This extends to control of N nanosatellites.

A method for monitoring position of and controlling a second nanosatellite (NS) relative to a position of a first NS. Each of the first and second NSs has a rectangular or cubical configuration of independently activatable, current-carrying solenoids, each solenoid having an independent magnetic dipole moment vector, μ1 and μ2. A vector force F and a vector torque are expressed as linear or bilinear combinations of the first set and second set of magnetic moments, and a distance vector extending between the first and second NSs is estimated. Control equations are applied to estimate vectors, μ1 and μ2, required to move the NSs toward a desired NS configuration. This extends to control of N nanosatellites.

To provide a sheet-like optical device capable of selectively emitting light whose optical path has a changed orientation. An optical device includes a first sheet and a second sheet. The first sheet is configured to be electrically switchable between a first state in which the first sheet extends along an in-plane direction orthogonal to a thickness direction and has transparency in the thickness direction, and a second state in which the first sheet has lower transparency in the thickness direction than the transparency in the first state. The second sheet has a prism surface on which an inclined surface inclined with respect to the in-plane direction is arranged along the in-plane direction, the second sheet facing the first sheet in the thickness direction.

A method and system for satellite control in space using an IP-based satellite bus and all-IP compliant subsystems and payload(s) and a corresponding T&C system. Specifically, the present method/system includes a satellite-based IP Bus (connected as a network) that relies on Ethernet, USB, WIFI, or Bluetooth to connect various satellite components, satellite components configured to communicate on the IP bus, and a T&C system that understands the IP bus and can read its telemetry and commands. The system permits operations control on-orbit, in near real time within a secure system environment, with a dramatic increase in mission efficiency, an expansion of how much and what can be done on-orbit, and cost savings on future missions using IP-compliant spacecraft and payloads.

A satellite system may have a constellation of communications satellites in orbits such as highly inclined eccentric geosynchronous orbits and low earth orbits. To place satellites in inclined eccentric geosynchronous orbits, a series of launch vehicles may be launched. Each launch vehicle may be used to place a set of satellites, such as a set of three satellites, into a common orbital plane with distinct longitude of ascending node values. To place satellites in low earth orbits, a series of launch vehicles may be launched, each of which releases satellites in sequence from a stack of satellites into a common orbital plane. After desired separations have been produced between the released satellites, circularization procedures may be performed using the propulsion systems of the satellites to place the satellites into final orbit.

A database (102) of a rocket launch assistance device records orbit forecast information of a mega-constellation satellite group (301) that is acquired from a space information recorder included in a mega-constellation business device and space object information that is acquired from a rocket launch business device. The orbit forecast information of the mega-constellation satellite group (301) is composed of a prediction value of an orbit of at least one representative satellite (331) out of the mega-constellation satellite group (301) and a prediction value of an orbit of a constituent satellite (332), which is a value relative to the prediction value of the orbit of the representative satellite (331).

Enclosures for facilitating activities in space, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed. A representative system includes a spacecraft having an enclosed interior volume (which can be formed by an inflatable membrane) and one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) carried by the spacecraft and positioned to deploy into the enclosed interior volume. The system can include a remote-control system to control the one or more UAVs from a terrestrial location while the spacecraft is in space. A wireless charging system can provide electrical power to the one or more UAVs. A representative method includes configuring one or more controllers to launch a first spacecraft to a first orbit, launch a second spacecraft to a second orbit, move the first spacecraft to the second orbit, dock the first spacecraft with the second spacecraft, and broadcast an event within an interior volume of the first spacecraft to a terrestrial location.

The present disclosure provides a system and a method for controlling a motion of a spacecraft in a multi-object celestial system while avoiding an unauthorized entry into a keep-away region during a normal and an abnormal operation of the spacecraft. The method includes executing, during the normal operation of the spacecraft, a nominal control law subject to constraints on maintaining a state of the spacecraft within a union of a plurality of control invariant sets of values of the state of the spacecraft. The state of the spacecraft includes a location of the spacecraft and at least one or a combination of a velocity and an acceleration of the spacecraft. The method further includes executing, upon detecting the abnormal operation of the spacecraft, an abort control law associated with the control invariant set including a current state of the spacecraft.

A spacecraft control system and method for determining the necessary delta-V and timing for impulsive maneuvers to change the plane of an orbit or the size of the orbit of a secondary spacecraft that is in an orbit around a primary spacecraft. The system and method uses an apocentral coordinate system for the relative orbital motion and geometric relative orbital elements to determine the required impulsive velocity change and time to maneuver, for relative orbital changes in which only one of slant or colatitude of the sinilaterating node changes.

Instead of users (e.g., independent owners/operators of different satellites) having to calculate orbit determination for each satellite themselves, an orbit determination service automatically calculates the orbit determination (OD) based on a user request. The calculated OD can then be used by a satellite ground station service to determine appropriate orientations for a ground station antenna in order to communicate with the satellite. In some embodiments, the OD service uses information from the calculations of ODs for multiple satellites and users to update a model used in the OD calculation, for example, to provide a more accurate model for Earth's atmosphere to be applied in subsequent OD calculations. In some embodiments, the OD service uses a user-provided computer-aided drawing (CAD) file of the satellite to produce or tune models specific to the satellite, for example, to generate more accurate models for solar radiation pressure and ballistic drag.