Articles for "Satellite"

to homepage
Other | 09. May 2011

Proximity Experiments using the VBS Close Range Camera

Satellites flying in specific formation during proximity operations are relying on an accurately determined position. So far PRISMA has been relying on GPS for navigation. On 21st of April and from 2nd to 4th of May several proximity operations experiments below 30m relative distance have been performed with the VBS close range (CR) camera running as a passenger experiment in open loop. read more

Other | 05. May 2011

VBS Far Range data taken during transfer in-between experiments

The different experiments executed at GSOC are performed at different relative distances between the two spacecrafts. According to this we had to transfer Mango from a position at 1500 m behind Tango closer down to 50 m. The ideal opportunity to take a sequence with the Far Range camera testing its use for later GSOC experiments. read more

Space | 29. April 2011

AFF Completion of experiments

SSC (Swedish Space Corporation) performed a remarkable autonomous close approached to bring MANGO and TANGO to a distance of less than 15 m. The maneuvers needed for that approach were computed by their autonomous formation flying (AFF) software on-board of MANGO. During an experiment of 8 days duration SSC performed numerous formation keeping and formation configuration maneuvers to verify the handling of different formation scenarios. read more

Space | 05. April 2011

PRISMA – Mango and Tango in mission operations mode

On 14 March 2011, the German Space Operations Center (GSOC) took over operations of PRISMA. Despite my 20 years of service, I must say that even though every mission launch is special, the transfer of operations for an ongoing mission has a very new ‘feel’ about it. PRISMA has been different in many ways. The aim of this mission is to demonstrate various formation flying and rendezvous scenarios at separations of as little as a few metres with satellites Tango and Mango. read more