Title: Guaranteed ellipsoidal estimation for satellite formation flying collision avoidance

Authors: G. Vukovich; Y. Kim

Addresses: Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, M3J 1P3, Canada ' Directorate of Engineering Development, Canadian Space Agency, 6767 route de l'Aeroport, St. Hubert, Quebec, J3Y 8Y9, Canada

Abstract: Collision avoidance among satellites flying in formation is a subject of great current interest. Approaches to this problem have been based primarily on probabilistic considerations. In this paper, we present a method based on guaranteed ellipsoid estimation, which is applied to a low earth orbit leader-follower satellite formation illustrating the evolution of bounding ellipsoids. This is compared with the results of deterministic inputs acting on the system.

Keywords: formation flying; collision avoidance; guaranteed ellipsoidal estimation; satellite formations; satellites; low earth orbit; LEO; leader-follower formation; bounding ellipsoids.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSPACESE.2016.081560

International Journal of Space Science and Engineering, 2016 Vol.4 No.2, pp.77 - 90

Received: 13 Jun 2016
Accepted: 20 Jun 2016

Published online: 13 Jan 2017 *

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