Spacecraft formations reconfiguration using finite element methodology with adaptive remeshing

Abstract

We present a methodology to compute trajectories for formation °ying recon¯g- uration problems using a methodology based on ¯nite elements: FEFF (Finite Elements for Formation Flying). In this paper we center ourselves on the obtention of optimal meshes using adaptive remeshing. As an application we show how adaptive remeshing is applied to two kinds of recon¯gurations: a class where is known that a bang-bang control is the optimal solution and another class where bang-bang would end up in collision. In the ¯rst case the methodology tends to the optimal bang-bang, while in the second one, tends to a low thrust control. Finally, we update the trajectories obtained with FEFF and adaptive remeshing to the JPL-ephemeris model to test the reliability of the methodology.