Completed

Project (2009 - 2009)

Topology Control Algorithms for Spacecraft Formation

Flying Networks Under Connectivity and Time-Delay
Constraints Project
SBIR/STTR Programs | Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
ABSTRACT
SSCI is proposing to develop a set of topology control
algorithms for a formation flying spacecraft that can be used to
design and evaluate candidate formation architectures.
Properties of these topology control algorithms include: (a)
Preserving the connectivity of the underlying state-dependent
sensing graph during reconfiguration and re-targeting of the
formation; (b) Achieving a balanced interplay between
performance and robustness to communication delays; and (c)
Using only local information to make local decisions that
collectively guarantee the global properties such as the network
connectivity. Phase I effort will deliver a preliminary software
analysis tool to help the NASA TPFI team evaluate these tradeoffs for candidate TPFI architectures. In order to achieve these
objectives we plan to carry out the following tasks: (i) Develop
algorithms to maximize the connectivity under limited FOV
constraints. (ii) Analyze the trade-off between network
connectivity and robustness to communication delays. (iii)
Design algorithms to maintain connectivity during a pre-specified
reconfiguration with energy optimal trajectories. (iv) Demonstrate
the application of the developed methods to TPF-I baseline
mission. In Phase II the goal is to deliver to NASA a complete
set of algorithms and software tools to perform distributed
communication design for TPF-I as well as other formation flying
missions that may involve a larger number of spacecraft. These
algorithms and software will be tested on high fidelity formation
flying testbeds at JPL such as FAST or FCT.Professor Mehran
Mesabhi of University of Washington will provide technical
support under the project.

Table of Contents

Abstract
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Technology Maturity
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Management Team
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Anticipated Benefits
2
U.S. Locations Working on this
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Project
3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Details for Technology 1
4
Technology Maturity
At Start: 2

Current: 2

At End: 3

Applied
Research

Development

Demo &
Test

Management Team
Program Executive:
Carl Ray
Continued on following page.

For more information visit techport.nasa.gov

This is a historic Project that was completed before the creation of TechPort on October 1,
2012. Available data has been included. This record may contain less data than currently active
projects.

Page 1

Printed 5/12/2015

Completed Project (2009 - 2009)

Topology Control Algorithms for Spacecraft Formation

Flying Networks Under Connectivity and Time-Delay
Constraints Project
SBIR/STTR Programs | Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
ANTICIPATED BENEFITS
To NASA funded missions:
Among non-NASA applications are several current ongoing
projects by the military. Department of Defense agencies,
including DARPA, are focused on developing the next
generation of collaborating and formation flying Unmanned
Vehicles (UAVs, USVs, UUVs etc.) which can use the analysis
methods and tools developed under this effort for performing
trade-off studies for designing distributed multi-agent networks.

Management Team (cont.)

Program Manager:
Gary Jahns
Project Manager:
Celestino Jun Rosca
Principal Investigator:
Jovan Boskovic

To the commercial space industry:

Formation flying is a critical element in NASA's search for
Earthlike planets. Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF), NASA's first
space-based mission to directly observe planets outside our
own solar system, will rely on formation flying to achieve the
functionality and benefits of a large instrument using multiple
lower cost smaller spacecraft. Aqua mission of the Goddard
Space Flight Center will use formation flying concepts (``ATrain'') to collaborate with multiple Earth observing spacecraft.
The proposed techniques are directly applicable to those
missions.

For more information visit techport.nasa.gov

This is a historic Project that was completed before the creation of TechPort on October 1,
2012. Available data has been included. This record may contain less data than currently active
projects.

Page 2

Printed 5/12/2015

Completed Project (2009 - 2009)

Topology Control Algorithms for Spacecraft Formation

Flying Networks Under Connectivity and Time-Delay
Constraints Project
SBIR/STTR Programs | Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
U.S. LOCATIONS WORKING ON THIS PROJECT

U.S. States With Work

Lead Center:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Other Organizations Performing Work:

Scientific Systems Company, Inc. (Woburn, MA)

For more information visit techport.nasa.gov

This is a historic Project that was completed before the creation of TechPort on October 1,
2012. Available data has been included. This record may contain less data than currently active
projects.

Page 3

Printed 5/12/2015

Completed Project (2009 - 2009)

Topology Control Algorithms for Spacecraft Formation

Flying Networks Under Connectivity and Time-Delay
Constraints Project
SBIR/STTR Programs | Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
DETAILS FOR TECHNOLOGY 1
Technology Title
Topology Control Algorithms for Spacecraft Formation Flying Networks Under Connectivity and
Time-Delay Constraints
Technology Description
SSCI is proposing to develop a set of topology control algorithms for a formation flying spacecraft
that can be used to design and evaluate candidate formation architectures. Properties of these
topology control algorithms include: (a) Preserving the connectivity of the underlying statedependent sensing graph during reconfiguration and re-targeting of the formation; (b) Achieving a
balanced interplay between performance and robustness to communication delays; and (c) Using
only local information to make local decisions that collectively guarantee the global properties such
as the network connectivity. Phase I effort will deliver a preliminary software analysis tool to help
the NASA TPFI team evaluate these trade-offs for candidate TPFI architectures. In order to achieve
these objectives we plan to carry out the following tasks: (i) Develop algorithms to maximize the
connectivity under limited FOV constraints. (ii) Analyze the trade-off between network connectivity
and robustness to communication delays. (iii) Design algorithms to maintain connectivity during a
pre-specified reconfiguration with energy optimal trajectories. (iv) Demonstrate the application of
the developed methods to TPF-I baseline mission. In Phase II the goal is to deliver to NASA a
complete set of algorithms and software tools to perform distributed communication design for
TPF-I as well as other formation flying missions that may involve a larger number of spacecraft.
These algorithms and software will be tested on high fidelity formation flying testbeds at JPL such
as FAST or FCT.Professor Mehran Mesabhi of University of Washington will provide technical
support under the project.

For more information visit techport.nasa.gov

This is a historic Project that was completed before the creation of TechPort on October 1,
2012. Available data has been included. This record may contain less data than currently active
projects.

Page 4

Printed 5/12/2015