Optimal design for multi-task satellite cluster adaptive orbit

Satellite cluster is a new kind of space configuration different from satellite formation and satellite constellation. With multi-satellites working together, satellites can improve the covering time span for the assigned region and broaden the observation area on the earth. For the multi-task satellite cluster, an adaptive orbit scheme that satisfied various payload constraints was proposed. The multi-task satellite cluster was divided into two parts: the reconnaissance cluster and the long-time covering cluster. The reconnaissance cluster can observe the earth quickly while increasing the covering time for the assigned region. The covering cluster can observe the assigned region with the longest time while enlarging the covered area on the earth; this was beneficial to the global reconnaissance. Simulation results and their analysis manifested preliminarily that, when the antenna beam was 60°and the effective distance was 1 200 km, only six satellites are necessary for observing the earth each day and the covering time for the assigned region was more than 20 minutes.