METHOD FOR MONITORING COLLOCATION AT GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT Russian patent published in 2015 - IPC B64G1/10 B64G1/24 

FIELD: physics; control.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to controlling movement of a group (cluster) of spacecraft, primarily geostationary satellites. According to the method, the nodal lines and apsidal lines of orbits of monitoring spacecraft and adjacent spacecraft are kept orthogonal. The sum of eccentricities of the orbits must approximately 0.0004, and the inclination of the orbit of the monitoring spacecraft relative to the orbit of the adjacent spacecraft must not be less than (14-15) arcseconds. To this end, regular adjustments are made to keep the ends (phase) of inclination and eccentricity vectors in the required aiming regions. Longitudes (orbital periods) are also adjusted so that the origin of the coordinate axes (deviations along the orbit and on the radius vector) coincides within given boundaries with the centre of the distancing ellipse from the adjacent spacecraft. The centres of the aiming regions are redefined when adjusting the strategy of controlling movement of the centre of mass of the adjacent spacecraft. When the reception level, at the monitoring spacecraft, of radiation of antennae mounted on the adjacent spacecraft falls, a switch is made to a mode for receiving information from ground-based antennae for the adjacent spacecraft. In case of consistent reception, at the monitoring spacecraft, of signals of said antennae of the adjacent spacecraft, direct around-the-clock monitoring of the adjacent spacecraft with two monitoring spacecraft is carried out within 12 hours. Said monitoring spacecraft are located at diametrically opposite sides of said distancing ellipse.

EFFECT: maintaining spacecraft at an operating position without interfering with other spacecraft and monitoring of adjacent spacecraft.

3 cl, 6 dwg