Fractionated Satellite Systems for Earth Observation Missions: Feasibility and Performances Analyses

This paper aims at investigating the feasibility of fractionated satellite architecture for Earth observation missions. The payload fractionation, consisting in the physical distribution of the payload over a cluster of satellites flying in formation or constellation, can be obtained using either the same or a different payload in each satellite. Issues, possible solutions and applications (visible/infrared and synthetic aperture radar remote sensing) of both of these approaches are analysed in this study. In particular, the problems of deployment, configuration maintenance and reconfiguration are addressed with formation examples in different orbits. The results are critically discussed in the paper.