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Astrodynamics 2021, 5(1): 61-76 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42064-020-0096-3
Research Article | Issue | Published: 07 January 2021

Efficient design techniques for cislunar-space VLBI spacecraft formation in GTOC8

Show Author's Information Shengmao He1,  Zhengfan Zhu2( )
Key Lab of Space Utilization, Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China
DFH Satellite Co., Ltd., Beijing 100094, China
Keywords:
Global Trajectory Optimization Competition (GTOC), very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI), cislunar space, formation flying
Cite this article:
He S, Zhu Z. Efficient design techniques for cislunar-space VLBI spacecraft formation in GTOC8. Astrodynamics, 2021, 5(1): 61-76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42064-020-0096-3
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Abstract Full text About this article

The 8th edition of the Global Trajectory Optimization Competition (GTOC8) presented a novel concept of a space-based very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) telescope in cislunar space for observing selected radio sources in cosmos. It requires designing a three-spacecraft triangular formation with changeable sizes and orientations such that observation can be scheduled as efficiently as possible. We first review the problem, and then describe the methods employed by representative teams participating in the competition. Subsequently, we present the design techniques employed by the team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which are primarily based on orbital-geometry analysis. Two efficient trajectory patterns are summarized: million-kilometer triangular formations with symmetric circular orbits, and consecutive-lunar-flyby trajectories with Moon-to-Moon transfer orbits. These two trajectory patterns enable establishing and reconfiguring the triangular formation with sufficiently different sizes so that a number of radio sources can be observed, thus maximizing the performance index. Finally, we present a solution with the best currently known score of J=158 million km.


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About this article

Efficient design techniques for cislunar-space VLBI spacecraft formation in GTOC8

Show Author's information Shengmao He1, Zhengfan Zhu2( )
Key Lab of Space Utilization, Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China
DFH Satellite Co., Ltd., Beijing 100094, China

Abstract

The 8th edition of the Global Trajectory Optimization Competition (GTOC8) presented a novel concept of a space-based very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) telescope in cislunar space for observing selected radio sources in cosmos. It requires designing a three-spacecraft triangular formation with changeable sizes and orientations such that observation can be scheduled as efficiently as possible. We first review the problem, and then describe the methods employed by representative teams participating in the competition. Subsequently, we present the design techniques employed by the team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which are primarily based on orbital-geometry analysis. Two efficient trajectory patterns are summarized: million-kilometer triangular formations with symmetric circular orbits, and consecutive-lunar-flyby trajectories with Moon-to-Moon transfer orbits. These two trajectory patterns enable establishing and reconfiguring the triangular formation with sufficiently different sizes so that a number of radio sources can be observed, thus maximizing the performance index. Finally, we present a solution with the best currently known score of J=158 million km.

Keywords: Global Trajectory Optimization Competition (GTOC), very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI), cislunar space, formation flying

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Publication history
Copyright
Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 30 June 2020
Accepted: 30 September 2020
Published: 07 January 2021
Issue date: March 2021

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press 2020

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to Anastassios Petropoulos for releasing this interesting problem, which provided us with the opportunity to think about the formation flying design for space-based VLBI observations, and to Dr. Hongxin Shen from the State Key Lab of Astronautic Dynamics for his kindly help to verify the revised design result. Moreover, our design efforts are based on research supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11372311) and the Key Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. ZDRW-KT-2019-1).

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