ELLIPTICAL FLOWER CONSTELLATIONS FOR GLOBAL COVERAGE Conference Paper

abstract

• Flower Constellations (FC) have been extensively studied for use in optimal constellation design. FCs have recently been reformulated into Lattice Flower Constellations (LFC), encompassing the complete set of Harmonic FCs. Elliptic orbits are generally avoided due to the deleterious effects of Earth's oblateness on the constellation, but here we present a novel concept for avoiding this problem and enabling more effective global coverage utilizing elliptic orbits. This new Elliptical Flower Constellation (EFC) framework generalizes the LFCs, Walker constellations, elliptical Walker constellations, and many of Draim's global coverage constellations. Previous studies have shown FCs can provide improved performance in global navigation over existing Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Here the EFCs are investigated to find improved results over the Galileo GNSS constellation.

authors

• Mortari, Daniele

published proceedings

• SPACEFLIGHT MECHANICS 2010, PTS I-III

author list (cited authors)

• Davis, J. J., Avendano, M., & Mortari, D.

complete list of authors

• Davis, Jeremy J||Avendano, Martin||Mortari, Daniele

publication date

• December 2010

published in

• Spaceflight Mechanics 2005, Vol 120, Pts 1 and 2  Journal

International Standard Book Number (ISBN) 13

• 978-0-87703-560-2

start page

• 1105

end page

• +

volume

• 136