BAE Institute - Advanced Space Technologies: Precision Spacecraft Formation

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Advanced Space Technologies: Precision Spacecraft Formation

Precision Spacecraft Formation - Nano-Precision, Contamination-free Photon Tether Formation Flight (PTFF) System for next generation satellite/spacecraft missions. Offering dramatically lower launch weights and station keeping costs, orders of magnitude increses in observation resolutions from space. The core technology is a combination of a push force from photon thrusters and a pull force from Kevlar tethers for precise inter-satellite control. Photon thrusters amplify thrust tens of thousands of times through a proprietary intracavity system for bouncing photons off of mirrors between satellites. As a result, the thrust power requirement for formations of 100 kg spacecraft configurations can be reduced to several watts per pair of satellites, well within today's space power budgets. No other propellants are needed, providing mass energy savings and contaminant free operation for future space missions equipped with highly sensitive sensors.

The Bae PTFF formation flying method is:

Free of propellants, and thus contamination-free
Capable of maintaining inter-spacecraft distance accuracy to less than a nanometer at distances of hundreds of meters
Capable of providing significant propulsion system mass savings allowing decades of stabilized orbital flight
Readily scalable to nano- and pico-satellite geometric formation flying applications
Lightweight and low power permits dual-usage of the photon thruster for ultra-high precision interferometric ranging applications, and simplifies system architecture.

PTFF Publication in STAIF-2006

NIAC Phase II Study from Sep 1, 2006 PTFF Phase II Overview

PTFF NIAC Phase I Overview

PTFF NIAC Phase I Final Report

NIAC Phase I Fellows meeting, March 7-8, 2006 PTFF Phase I Presentation