Multi-Platform Small Satellite Dynamics Testbed

The Small Satellite Dynamics Testbed (SSDT) at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) is a facility dedicated to the verification and validation of small satellite guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) hardware and software. The combination of the SSDT with NASA JPL’s Formation Control Testbed (FCT) provides a testbed for close-proximity operations between small satellites and larger, traditional spacecraft. Previously, the SSDT housed a single thrusting air-bearing platform that affords position control on a planar surface and rotational control about the axis perpendicular to the translation plane. This work outlines the design modifications to the previous air-bearing platform and implements the design to two planar air-bearing platforms. The extension to two planar air-bearing platforms enables testing of close-proximity operations between two small satellites. This work on the SSDT platforms may be combined with the capabilities of the FCT’s larger thrusting planar air bearings to produce a multi-platform testbed for close proximity operations between multiple small satellites and multiple traditional satellites. Consequently, this work fundamentally transforms the capabilities of the SSDT to enable multi-platform research and development.美国国家航空航天局喷气推进实验室（NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, JPL）的小卫星动力学测试平台（Small Satellite Dynamics Testbed, SSDT），是专门用于小卫星制导、导航与控制（guidance, navigation, and control, GNC）软硬件验证与确认的专业设施。将SSDT与JPL的编队控制测试平台（Formation Control Testbed, FCT）相结合，可搭建用于小卫星与大型传统航天器近距离操作的测试平台。此前，SSDT仅搭载单台推力式气浮平台，该平台可在平面内实现位置控制，并围绕垂直于平移平面的轴完成旋转控制。本研究详述了对原有气浮平台的设计改进方案，并将该方案应用于两台平面气浮平台。新增双平面气浮平台后，即可开展两台小卫星间的近距离操作测试。本研究中针对SSDT平台的改进成果，可与FCT的大型推力式平面气浮平台功能相结合，构建可支持多台小卫星与多台传统航天器之间近距离操作的多平台测试系统。因此，本研究从根本上拓展了SSDT的能力边界，使其能够支撑多平台相关的研究与开发工作。