Persistent Space Surveillance Using the Theory of Functional Connections
Abstract
The Persistent Space Surveillance (PSS) strategy is designed to continuously detect targets and overcome the previously studied Periodic Close Encounter (PCE) problem; i.e. the periodic surveillance of targets. This study addresses the traditional need to monitor military-threatening targets and repair or check the status of commercially expensive satellites, but also the modern need for space traffic management and the removal of space debris. In this study, persistent surveillance is defined as the need to keep observation distance below a certain threshold (i.e., distance from the target) while the target orbits the Earth. In addition, the optimal solution needs to maintain a proper monitoring distance despite the effects of perturbation, and eliminate the risk of Earth-impacting or hyperbolic trajectories. The proposed technique satisfies the following three constraints needed to be sufficiently close and compatible with the target’s orbit: orbit shape, orbit orientation, and observation distance. The Genetic Algorithm (GA) is used to optimize orbital elements that satisfy the three constraints. To apply the proposed model to the numerical examples, propagation is performed using the Theory of Functional Connection (TFC), which has been verified in other studies. All of the above processes are verified by simulating the existing Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Geostationary Orbit (GEO), and Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO) satellites as targets.
Subject
PSS (Persistent Space Surveillance)GA (Genetic Algorithm)
TFC (Theory of Functional Connections)
Citation
Bae, Jiwon (2023). Persistent Space Surveillance Using the Theory of Functional Connections. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /199839.