Small Satellite Formations: Challenges in Navigation and its Application Potential

Miniaturization enables continuously smaller and smarter satellites, with similar functionalities compared to traditional satellites. In particular, in the field of attitude and orbit control, as well as in navigation approaches solutions are available to enable cost-efficient satellite formations even at the level of very small satellites with a few kilograms of mass. This opens the doors for realizing sensor networks in orbit to perform joint measurements. By using sensor data fusion and post-processing innovative distributed Earth observation methods result. This article reviews relevant technologies as well as exemplary nano-satellite missions in the field of formations.