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Technical and policy issues surrounding the use of autonomous maneuverable earth observing satellites

To better respond to transient Earth phenomenon that can cause loss of life or damage to economic assets (tornadoes, mudslides, flash floods, etc.), an increase in the amount and timeliness of information collected on phenomenon is needed. One method for collecting this information is by using groups of Earth observing satellites with the ability to perform autonomous orbital maneuvers and view phenomenon on demand. However, as satellites are very costly, creating a group of satellites large enough to perform this task is currently beyond the abilities of any one organization. One method of gathering a group of satellites that is large enough is by several organizations “pooling” their satellite resources together temporarily. In order to pool autonomous maneuverable satellites, several technical and policy problems must be overcome. The technical problem addressed is how to schedule large numbers of satellites to effectively collect critical information on phenomenon, even in the face of unexpected events, such as satellite failures that can prohibit the collection of this information. The policy problem addressed is how to overcome barriers that prevent organizations from temporarily loaning their satellite resources to a pooling system. To overcome the technical problem of effectively scheduling large numbers of satellites, an integrated planner is developed using Draper Laboratory’s EPOS 1.0 optimal planner and the ALLIANCE behavioral planning algorithm. The optimal planner efficiently allocates satellite and fuel resources, while the reaction planner modifies the optimal plan if an unexpected event occurs that would decrease the group’s ability to collect information. To overcome the policy problem of assembling a large number of satellites, a public-private partnership pooling organization is proposed. As satellites are currently a highly expensive and limited resource, the willingness and ability of organizations with satellite resources to contribute part of their satellite resources is in question. Barriers identified when forming a pooling organization and ways to overcome these barriers are identified. Through the analysis of several simulations it was found that it is possible to achieve the technical results of responding to unexpected events in a timely manner without a substantial increase in fuel usage. Through a policy analysis it was determined that the liability issues associated with satellite pooling and organizational cultural inertia are the primary barriers inhibiting organizations from participating in a pool, but that these are possible to overcome, as there are examples where similar cross organizational relationships have succeeded with great effort. This thesis finds that the critical barriers that must be resolved before creating a group of autonomous maneuverable Earth observing satellites are not technical in nature, but are legal and cultural changes in organizations. Thesis Supervisor (Technical): Brian Williams Title: Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics Thesis Supervisor (Policy): Daniel Hastings Title: Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Engineering Systems