Design and construction of a five degrees of freedom air carriage for the SPHERES testbed

Abstract

The Synchronized Position Hold Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) formation flight testbed is being developed at the MIT Space Systems Lab. Through this program, the SSL is developing and testing algorithms for formation flight of spacecraft. Three of the five mini-satellites that have been built will be launched to the ISS for development, testing and primarily, validation of the formation flight algorithms in a zero-gravity environment. The remaining two are designated ground units. Their function is to provide an infrastructure where the bulk of the development and testing aspect of the algorithms are being carried out since resources are more readily accessible. To accomplish this, the MIT SSL has developed air carriages for operation of these mini-satellites (spheres) on a two dimensional table. These air carriages' designs only provide three out the six degrees of freedom that is experienced by a spacecraft in a zero-gravity environment. Therefore, an air carriage that allows for five degrees of freedom to be tested on ground would allow for further testing.