Hardware-in-the-loop Demonstration of GPS-Based Autonomous Formation Flying

Kurzfassung

GPS navigation is the essential technology for the autonomous formation flying in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This paper presents a closed-loop testing system for hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) demonstration of GPS based autonomous formation flying. The developed closed-loop HIL simulation system allows an elaborate validation of GPS-based autonomous formation flying functionalities and performance in an integrated configuration including both navigation and guidance/control. The developed system is used to support a test campaign of the GPS-based autonomous formation flying experiment for the PRISMA mission which is being contributed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Key results of the tests are shown and discussed in this paper