The invention relates to a method of tracking a target on an orbital trajectory by a spacecraft, the method comprising an acquisition phase which comprises the steps of activating a lidar, acquiring signals from the lidar system, determining target trajectory data from the lidar signals, wherein the spacecraft is engaged on a trajectory to approach or inspect the target, which trajectory is determined based on the target trajectory data, and if the target is no longer detected, activating a short-range detection phase, comprising activation of a wide-field radar.

Having as its objective to take flight safety measure per satellite group, a space information recorder (101) is mounted in a mega-constellation satellite business device being a business device that manages a satellite constellation of 100 or more satellites, or in a constellation satellite business device being a business device that manages a satellite constellation of 10 or more satellites. The space information recorder (101) is provided with a category of a satellite group ID (112) which identifies a satellite group in which a group of a plurality of satellites having the same nominal orbital altitude cooperate with each other to fulfill a mission. The category of the satellite group ID (112) includes flight safety measure information (115) expressing flight safety measure of the satellite group.

An object is to more accurately assist avoidance of a collision between space objects such as satellites or space debris in outer space. A recorder processing unit (110) acquires flight forecast information (401) indicating a flight forecast of each of a plurality of space objects (60) from a management business device (40) used by a management business operator that manages the plurality of space objects (60). Based on the acquired flight forecast information (401), the recorder processing unit (110) sets a forecast epoch of an orbit of each of the plurality of space objects (60), a forecast orbital element that identifies the orbit, and a forecast error that is forecast for the orbit, as orbit forecast information (51). The recorder processing unit (110) stores a space information recorder (50) including the orbit forecast information (51) in a storage unit (140).

Spacecraft servicing devices or pods and related methods may be configured to be deployed from a carrier spacecraft and include at least one spacecraft servicing component configured to perform at least one servicing operation on the target spacecraft. The spacecraft servicing devices may be configured to be transported from an initial orbit to another orbit after the spacecraft servicing device is deployed from the carrier spacecraft.

A satellite constellation forming system (600) forms a satellite constellation having a plurality of orbital planes in each of which a plurality of satellites fly at the same average orbital altitude. A satellite constellation forming unit (11) forms a passage region for a space object to pass through before the space object passes through an orbital altitude of the satellite constellation from above the satellite constellation. After the space object has passed through the passage region, the satellite constellation forming unit (11) restores the satellite constellation to a state before the passage region is formed.

A satellite constellation forming system (600) forms a satellite constellation which is composed of a satellite group that cooperatively provides a communication service, and has a plurality of orbital planes in each of which a plurality of satellites fly at the same orbital altitude. Each satellite of the satellite group includes inter-satellite communication means and satellite-ground communication means. A satellite constellation forming unit (11) forms the satellite constellation which has ten or more orbital planes with different normal directions, and in which at least one relative angle in an azimuth direction of adjacent orbital planes of the plurality of orbital planes is arranged to be uneven and satellite-ground communication means of satellites flying in orbital planes spaced unevenly have a communication range that achieves complete ground coverage above the equator.

An object is to appropriately manage disclosure of information on the orbit of a satellite constellation. An information management device (1000) is installed in at least one of a plurality of management business devices each of which conducts a management business for a plurality of space objects flying in space. A storage unit (1400) stores orbit forecast information (51) including an orbit forecast, which is a forecast value of an orbit of each of the plurality of space objects, and a forecast error that is forecast for the orbit. An information disclosure unit (1100) determines whether the orbit forecast information (51) is to be disclosed to a different information management device, based on a disclosure threshold (141) for determining whether the orbit forecast information (51) is to be disclosed and the forecast error.

The present disclosure provides a method for controlling orbital trajectories of a plurality of spacecraft in a multi-spacecraft swarm. In one aspect, the method includes deploying a DRL agent including a plurality of trajectory control models to the multi-spacecraft swarm, the trajectory control models corresponding to swarm configurations of the multi-spacecraft swarm; determining a state vector of said plurality of spacecraft in the multi-spacecraft swarm; transmitting a collective command to the multi-spacecraft swarm, such that said plurality of spacecraft in the multi-spacecraft swarm are to be distributed in one of the swarm configurations; determining actions of said plurality of spacecraft based on the state vector and the collective command; and maneuvering the multi-spacecraft swarm in accordance with the actions.

Spacecraft servicing devices or pods and related methods may be configured to be deployed from a carrier spacecraft and include at least one spacecraft servicing component configured to perform at least one servicing operation on the target spacecraft. The spacecraft servicing devices may be configured to be transported from an initial orbit to another orbit after the spacecraft servicing device is deployed from the carrier spacecraft.

A modular and scalable system to transfer space articles between space orbits. In one embodiment, the system employs a rendezvous vehicle which docks with a space article in an initial orbit, the connected stack then docking with a locomotive vehicle which maneuvers to a targeted orbit where the space article is detached. In one feature, the rendezvous vehicle and locomotive vehicle use a common propellant and the space article is a satellite.