System F6
Abstract
The objective of the System F6 program is 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 can 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 System F6 program will develop 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 will also be developed. Multiple versions of the F6 Technology Package will be developed on the basis of open-source interface standards, software, and reference designs termed the F6 Developer's Kit (FDK). The utility of the architecture in low earth orbit (LEO) is significantly enabled by persistent broadband connectivity to the ground which allows resource sharing between space-based modules and terrestrial network nodes. A solution to enable high-availability, low-latency, persistent, high-bandwidth communication with LEO spacecraft will be developed in the course of the F6 program.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2015
- Source ID
- fe47abdac335179d4f343000d079ee36