Fixed Interval Scheduling of Multiple Earth Observation Satellites with Multiple Observations

The Earth observation satellites (EOSs) scheduling is of great importance to achieve efficient observation missions. We consider multiple EOSs scheduling problem with fixed interval and multiple observations. Decision variables of target observation number are designed to linearize stepwise profit function. An assignment formulation is developed initially where candidate observation missions are divided into groups according to associated satellite orbits. Since the assignment formulation fails to linearize sequence dependent energy constraints, the flow formulation is constructed to obtain linearized energy constraints. On the basis of a real world Chinese EOSs constellation, optimization software ILOG-Cplex is applied to solve two different mathematical formulations. Results demonstrate the fixed interval scheduling of multiple EOSs in flow formulation can be effectively solved by Cplex.