OPTIMIZATION OF ORBITAL STRUCTURE OF SATELLITE CONSTELLATIONS TO PROVIDE CONTINUOUS COVERAGE OF NEAR-EARTH SPACE SPHERICAL LAYER

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Abstract

In the paper, a completely new approach: continuous monitoring of near-Earth space spherical layer based on the construction of two-tiers orbiting satellite constellation with opposite viewing directions, in which each the satellite tier is an independent subsystem that follows the "Delta-system" model of WalkerJ.G. (Walker constellation) is proposed. Modeling and analyzing the problem of optimizing the structure of two-tiers satellite constellations in orbit according to the criterion of the total system characteristic velocity is the smallest into the more traditional problems which are easier to solve - optimizing the system structure one-tier satellite constellation according to the criteria that the total number of satellites in the system is the smallest. In this article, methods of solving these problems are also presented. Based on the results of the calculation and establishment of the catalog of the optimal orbital structure plans of the two-tier satellite constellation, the analysis, evaluation and comparing the achieved results with the satellite constellation structure traditional one-tier are made.