Task allocation in networks of satellites with Keplerian dynamics

Description/Abstract

The management of distributed satellite systems requires the coordination of a large number of heterogeneous spacecraft. Task allocation in such a system is complicated by limited communication and individual satellite dynamics. Previous work has shown that task allocation using a market-based mechanism can provide scalable and efficient management of static networks; in this paper we extend this work to determine the impact of dynamic topologies. We develop a Keplerian mobility model to describe the topology of the communication network over time. is movement model is then used in simulation to show that the task allocation mechanism does not show a significant decrease in effectiveness from the static case, reflecting the suitability of distributed market-based control to the highly dynamic environment.