Tradespace analysis tool for designing constellations (TAT-C)

TLDR

While there is growing interest in implementing future NASA Earth Science missions as Distributed Spacecraft Missions (DSMs), very few tools exist to aid DSM design. The project aims to provide a framework that facilitates DSM Pre‑Phase A investigations and optimizes DSM designs with respect to a‑priori science goals. TAT‑C is a trade‑space analysis tool that lets users evaluate constellation type, size, and cost/risk trade‑offs, and the paper describes its components and how it supports these investigations.

Abstract

While there is growing interest in implementing future NASA Earth Science missions as Distributed Spacecraft Missions (DSMs), there are currently very few tools available to help in the design of DSMs. The objective of our project is to provide a framework that facilitates DSM Pre-Phase A investigations and optimizes DSM designs with respect to a-priori Science goals. Our Trade-space Analysis Tool for Constellations (TAT-C) enables the investigation of questions such as: “Which type of constellations should be chosen? How many spacecraft should be included in the constellation? Which design has the best cost/risk value?”. This paper provides a description of the TAT-C tool and its components.