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.

A satellite orbiting in one of a plurality of orbital planes of a satellite constellation system at an altitude range corresponding to low earth orbit includes at least one processor configured to generate satellite state data, and to generate a navigation signal based on the satellite state data. The satellite includes at least one transmitter configured to transmit the navigation signal for receipt by at least one client device on earth. Each of the plurality of orbital planes includes a corresponding one of a plurality of satellite subsets of a plurality of satellites of the satellite constellation system. Each of the plurality of orbital planes is within the altitude range, and the plurality of orbital planes includes a set of inclined orbital planes at a non-polar inclination.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for controlling a moving object includes a trajectory control unit configured to control a trajectory of the moving object and a position control unit configured to control a position of the moving object. Thus, it is possible to control an angle at which the moving object enters a target point.

A system for imparting linear momentum transfer may include a catching mechanism of a target space vehicle and a tether that is configured to impart a linear momentum transfer from the tether to the target space vehicle. The tether may be fixedly or detachably connected to a Kinetic Energy Storage and Transfer (KEST) vehicle that maneuvers and potentially retrieves the tether. Alternatively, the tether may be separate from the KEST vehicle and may be retrieved by a suitable retrieving mechanism, such as a robotic arm.

A lunar orbiting satellite system executes orbit planning of assigning a function (positioning, communication, and flashing) to an artificial satellite (AS) depending on a relative position of the AS to the moon at a time when the moon and the AS are observed from an input point on the earth, and correcting the relative position, which changes in accordance with the moon revolution period. The system includes: a satellite orbit planner which assigns a function to each ASs forming an AS group flying around the moon depending on a relative position of each ASs to the moon at a time when the moon and ASs are observed from an input point on the earth, and set a target orbit according to the function; and a satellite controller which causes the each ASs to execute control based on the function to implement switching of the function.

A vehicle for intercepting a target object orbiting in space is provided, comprising a launching portion for driving the vehicle into an orbit, and an interception portion for intercepting a target object when the vehicle is in orbit, wherein the interception portion comprises means for engaging with the target object and wherein the launching portion is arranged to drive the vehicle into a first elliptical orbit and the vehicle is arranged to adopt a second elliptical orbit when engaged with the target object in which the first elliptical orbit is arranged so as to intersect the orbit of the target object at an interception point, and the second elliptical orbit is such that the vehicle is arranged to move from the interception point towards the Earth's atmosphere when engaged with the target object. A method of controlling a vehicle for intercepting a target object orbiting in space is also provided, comprising controlling the vehicle to be driven into a first elliptical orbit to intersect the orbit of the target object at an interception point and controlling the vehicle to engage with the target object at the interception point and to adopt a second elliptical orbit when engaged with the target object in which the second elliptical orbit is such that the vehicle is arranged to move from the interception point towards the Earth's atmosphere when engaged with the target object.

A CubeSat satellite has a solar cell and an arc propulsion system. The arc propulsion system includes a power source, a first lead coupled to the power source and to a cathode, and a second lead coupled to the power source and to an anode. The solar cell is used as the cathode of the propulsion system.

The disclosure relates to space science and space transportation, in particular, to the area of commercial exploitation of outer space, and, namely—to the structure of multiple-mission geospatial transportation complex and method of operation thereof, based on the principle of non-rocket ‘planet surface to planned circular orbit’ payload insertion. A general planetary geospatial transportation complex, according to a first variant includes a general planetary vehicle encircling the planet along the line of the planet surface cross-section by the plane parallel to plane of the equator, fastened, on launch overpass of specified altitude, and represents a linear bearing structure encircling the planet, comprising pressure hull with the special endless linear flywheels, equipped with systems of magnetic and/or electromagnetic suspension and linear electromagnetic drives. For a general planetary geospatial transportation complex, it is distinctive that the present intended use is to solve the set of geospatial problems in industrial-scale volumes, for instance, for the purpose of relocation of ecologically harmful portion of earth-based manufacturing into near space and non-rocket space industrialization, as well as stabilization of the global climate.

A method for creating an artificial reentry corridor. Several modules are deployed in a retrograde orbit relative to target debris. Each module releases a gas plume which, in turn creates an artificial reentry corridor. The debris passes through the corridor and becomes decelerated.