On-orbit service for formation satellites with space tether

Aiming at the on-orbit service for formation satellites, a service scheme based on tethered satellite system (TSS) is proposed. The TSS is composed of service spacecraft with smaller mass, a fuel station with larger mass and a tether. The coordinate system and relative dynamic model are established using the reference center of the formation satellites as the origin. Based on the pseudospectral method, the optimal control strategy of the multi-satellite service is designed, considering the tether state and the control constraints. Taking the formation satellites with space circular configuration as an example, the propellant consumption of serving 3/4/5 satellites by the TSS and a single satellite platform are analyzed respectively, and the strengths and weaknesses of the TSS are discussed. The simulation results show that the tethered service can save propellant relative to the plan of a single service satellite platform, and the advantage increases with the increase of the service targets number. © 2021, Editorial Office of Systems Engineering and Electronics. All right reserved.