System F6
Abstract
The System F6 program sought to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of satellite architecture technologies which facilitate a fractionated architecture wherein the functionality of a traditional "monolithic" spacecraft is replaced by a cluster of wirelessly-interconnected spacecraft modules. Each such "fractionated" module could contribute a unique capability, for example, computation and data handling, communications relay, guidance and navigation, payload sensing, or it would replicate the capability of another module. The cluster would deliver a comparable mission capability to a monolithic spacecraft. The fractionated modules would fly in a loose, proximate cluster orbit capable of semi-autonomous reconfiguration or a rapid defensive scatter/re-gather maneuver. The program developed key technologies to facilitate fractionated and disaggregated architectures. The F6 Technology Package (F6TP), a suite of technologies, components, and algorithms that enables semi-autonomous multi-body cluster flight and secure, distributed, real-time sharing of various spacecraft resources at the cluster level was also developed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2016
- Source ID
- 298820b6b36fe94ad5927266310d3125