Low Earth Orbit Slotting for Space Traffic Management Using Flower
Low Earth Orbit Slotting for Space Traffic Management Using Flower Constellation Theory David Arnas∗, Miles Lifson†, and Richard Linares‡ Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA Martín E. Avendaño§ CUD-AGM (Zaragoza), Crtra Huesca s / n, Zaragoza, 50090, Spain This paper proposes the use of Flower Constellation (FC) theory to facilitate the design of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) slotting system to avoid collisions between compliant satellites and optimize the available space. Specifically, it proposes the use of concentric orbital shells of admissible “slots” with stacked intersecting orbits that preserve a minimum separation distance between satellites at all times. The problem is formulated in mathematical terms and three approaches are explored: random constellations, single 2D Lattice Flower Constellations (2D-LFCs), and unions of 2D-LFCs. Each approach is evaluated in terms of several metrics including capacity, Earth coverage, orbits per shell, and symmetries. In particular, capacity is evaluated for various inclinations and other parameters. Next, a rough estimate for the capacity of LEO is generated subject to certain minimum separation and station-keeping assumptions and several trade-offs are identified to guide policy-makers interested in the adoption of a LEO slotting scheme for space traffic management. I. Introduction SpaceX, OneWeb, Telesat and other companies are currently planning mega-constellations for space-based internet connectivity and other applications that would significantly increase the number of on-orbit active satellites across a variety of altitudes [1–5]. As these and other actors seek to make more intensive use of the global space commons, there is growing need to characterize the fundamental limits to the capacity of Low Earth Orbit (LEO), particularly in high-demand orbits and altitudes, and minimize the extent to which use by one space actor hampers use by other actors.
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