Open Access

ARTICLE

Conceptual Design Process for LEO Satellite Constellations Based on System Engineering Disciplines

by Ali Salehi, Mahdi Fakoor^*, Amirreza Kosari, Seyed Mohammad Navid Ghoreishi

Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

* Corresponding Author: Mahdi Fakoor. Email:

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2022, 131(2), 599-618. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmes.2022.018840

Received 20 August 2021; Accepted 24 November 2021; Issue published 14 March 2022

Abstract

Satellite design process is an interdisciplinary subject in which the need for collaboration among various science and engineering disciplines is evident. Meanwhile, finding an optimal process for conceptual design of a satellite, which can optimize time and cost, is still an important issue. In this paper, based on system engineering approach, an optimal design process is proposed for LEO satellite constellations. In the proposed method, design process, design sequences, and data flow are established. In this regard, the conceptual design process is divided into two levels of mission (or constellation) and system (or satellite) as well as 15 main activities based on the mission profile, previous experiences of the authors, and existing literature. Then, the relationships between these activities have been determined by considering the importance of relationships according to their priority. Finally, these relations are optimized based on design structure matrix (DSM). By utilizing this approach, system design process of a telecommunication satellite constellation in LEO is formulated in conceptual design phase. Performance and capability of the proposed approach in optimal design process of the satellite constellation are investigated by comparing the outcome with existing results in the literature.

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