NASA applications consist of enabling autonomous precision swarm coordination for satellites traveling in Earth orbit or eventually into deep space, including greater precision for vehicle control. The swarm formation coordination and control algorithms and software will provide expanded mission planning and analysis capabilities, reduction of communication requirements, and reduction of mission risk. The system would offer significant value in providing or augmenting current navigation and control technologies and techniques, as well as reduce support costs and system station-keeping down-time. The system can also offer precise formation control for assisting multiple spacecraft formation flying anywhere in the solar system. The proposed system data product has potential to enable benefits to autonomous planetary rover swarms, asteroid and comet exploration, and earth orbiting swarms.
Non-NASA applications for this technology include increased coordination and control for units of multiple unmanned aerial systems performing search and rescue operations, for the Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies or local municipalities. Robotic or autonomous land, sea, and air vehicle coordination for the Department of Defense, and reduction of communication and relay requirements is an added application. Commercial telecommunication satellite providers that desire to transmit large data rate information between multiple vehicles, such as imaging or internet-like inter-satellite networks, could realize the formation control benefits through this enabling technology.
More »