24/7 Space News
SPACEMART
Starling spacecraft swarm completes primary mission
illustration only
Starling spacecraft swarm completes primary mission
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 31, 2024

After ten months in orbit, the Starling spacecraft swarm has achieved its primary mission objectives, marking a major milestone in swarm technology.

Satellite swarms could potentially be used for deep space exploration. These autonomous networks can self-navigate, manage experiments, and adapt to environmental changes without relying on constant communication with Earth.

"The success of Starling's initial mission represents a landmark achievement in the development of autonomous networks of small spacecraft," said Roger Hunter, program manager for NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology program at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley. "The team has been very successful in achieving our objectives and adapting in the face of challenges."

Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy (DSA) Experiment
The DSA experiment onboard Starling demonstrated the swarm's capability to optimize data collection. The CubeSats analyzed Earth's ionosphere by identifying phenomena and reaching consensus on the approach for analysis.

By distributing observational tasks, each spacecraft can either gather different data or collaborate for deeper analysis, reducing human workload and maintaining operations without new ground commands. This marks the first time a swarm has autonomously shared information and operations data to generate efficient plans and react quickly to changes in observations.

Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) Experiment
A spacecraft swarm requires a network for internal communication. The MANET experiment successfully established such a network, allowing the swarm to relay commands and data among the spacecraft and to the ground.

The team achieved all MANET objectives, including routing commands and data to a spacecraft with communication issues, showcasing the benefits of a cooperative swarm. "The success of MANET demonstrates the robustness of a swarm," said Howard Cannon, Starling project manager at NASA Ames. "For example, when the radio went down on one swarm spacecraft, we 'side-loaded' the spacecraft from another direction, sending commands, software updates, and other vital information to the spacecraft from another swarm member."

Starling Formation-Flying Optical Experiment (StarFOX)
StarFOX uses star trackers to identify other swarm members, satellites, or debris, and estimate their positions and velocities. This experiment is the first to demonstrate this type of swarm navigation, including tracking multiple swarm members simultaneously and sharing observations to improve orbit accuracy.

Near the end of the mission, the swarm was maneuvered into a passive safety ellipse. In this formation, the team achieved a key milestone by demonstrating the ability to autonomously estimate the swarm's orbits using only inter-satellite measurements.

Reconfiguration and Orbit Maintenance Experiments Onboard (ROMEO)

The ROMEO system tests onboard maneuver planning and execution, estimating orbits and planning maneuvers to new orbits. The team has successfully demonstrated the system's capabilities and is refining it to reduce propellant use. The system's development will continue throughout Starling's mission extension.

Future Mission: Starling 1.5
With primary mission objectives complete, the team will proceed with the Starling 1.5 mission extension, testing space traffic coordination with SpaceX's Starlink constellation. This project will explore how constellations operated by different users can share information through a ground hub to avoid collisions.

"Starling's partnership with SpaceX is the next step in operating large networks of spacecraft and understanding how two autonomously maneuvering systems can safely operate in proximity to each other. As the number of operational spacecraft increases each year, we must learn how to manage orbital traffic," said Hunter.

Related Links
Starling at NASA
The latest information about the Commercial Satellite Industry

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
SPACEMART
Geespace advances LEO satellite constellation for global coverage
Sydney, Australia (SPX) May 26, 2024
SpaceX's Starlink recently announced that their high-speed internet constellation now connects over 3 million people across nearly 100 countries and territories. Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations provide real-time network services to people in remote and underdeveloped areas. As LEO satellite deployments increase globally, commercial aerospace companies are becoming significant players. In China, Geespace, a commercial aerospace company under Geely, is building and operating the ... read more

SPACEMART
Cargo Ship Departs, Two Rockets Near Launch During Busy Day on Station

Russian Progress 88 cargo spacecraft launched to ISS

MDA Space Partners with Starlab Space in Commercial Space Station Venture

French, Belgian astronauts named next Europeans to fly to ISS

SPACEMART
Young Student Explores Future Potential of Radioisotope Power Systems

SpaceX mega rocket Starship's next launch on June 5

SpaceX sends 23 Starlink satellites into orbit on third flight in two days

Boeing won't fix leaky Starliner before flying first crew to ISS

SPACEMART
South Korea targets Mars mission with new space centre

Western geologists test instrument for Mars rover mission in search for life

RNA study reveals potential for life in Mars' extreme environments

Redwire to lead Mars imaging study for NASA

SPACEMART
Shenzhou 18 crew conducts first spacewalk

Zebrafish on China's space station reported to be in good condition

China sends experimental satellite into orbit with Long March 4C rocket

International Support for China's Chang'e-6 Lunar Mission

SPACEMART
Advanced satcom technologies revolutionize aviation and marine industries

Innovative Startups Join South Australia's Space Ecosystem

Saudi fund launches new group to boost space industry

Intelsat enhances satellite lifespan with mission extension vehicles

SPACEMART
Study: Under extreme impacts, metals get stronger when heated

10 Benefits of Using 360Learning for Your Company's Learning Needs

Colossus's AI-enabled hardware achieves space heritage aboard Loft's YAM-6 satellite

Where is the Best Place to Buy Used Books?

SPACEMART
Astronomers Discover 15 New Exoplanets and Measure Mass of 126 Others

NASA's TESS Finds Intriguing World Sized Between Earth, Venus

Starless and forever alone: more 'rogue' planets discovered

Exploring the potential for life on Europa through iron snow

SPACEMART
Peering into Pluto's hidden ocean

Probing for Rocks in an Ice Giant's Core

NASA's Juno captures detailed images of Europa's surface

New Horizons expand research with unique observations

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.