This paper presents system-level hardware-in-the-loop real-time simulation results for three different guidance, navigation, and control experiments designed for in-flight demonstration on the PRISMA formation-flying satellite mission. The mission consists of two spacecraft: Main and Target The Main satellite has full orbit control capability, whereas Target is attitude-controlled only. Launch is planned for November 2009. The simulation results presented demonstrate the feasibility and readiness for flight as well as the expected in-flight performance. The three experiments include Global Positioning System and vision-based formation flying for two spacecraft in both passive and forced motion. In addition to these simulation results, the paper gives an overview of the PRISMA mission in general and the guidance, navigation, and control experiments in particular. The hardware-in-the-loop real-time test environment is also presented.

The rapidly growing use of small satellites for space missions requires deployable systems to be highly storable yet large and with adequate mechanical properties when deployed. This paper focuses on the modeling and simulation of a meter-class passively deployable boom, based on the self-contained linear meter-class deployable boom, exploiting the bistable nature of composite shells. Experimental tests were performed on a boom prototype suspended in a gravity offloading system. The strain energy level, deployment time, and spacecraft displacements calculated from the finite element method agree well with analytical analyses, confirming the theoretical accuracy of the finite element method. Because friction and strain energy relaxation were not included in the model, the finite element simulations predicted deployment times up to five times shorter than those of the gravity offloaded boom experiments. The quick deployment and violent end-of-deployment shock created boom deployment dynamics that were not seen in the experiments. The observed differences between the finite element model and the tests were mainly due to inaccurate material and friction models.

Future small satellite missions require low-cost, precision reflector structures with large aperture that can be packaged in a small envelope. Existing furlable reflectors form a compact package which, although narrow, is too tall for many applications. An alternative approach is proposed, consisting of a deployable tensegrity prism forming a ring structure that deploys two identical cable nets (front and rear nets) interconnected by tension ties; the reflecting mesh is attached to the front net. The geometric configuration of the structure has been optimized to reduce the compression in the struts of the tensegrity prism. A small-scale physical model has been constructed to demonstrate the proposed concept. A preliminary design of a 3-m-diam, 10-GHz reflector with a focal-length-to-diameter ratio of 0.4 that can be packaged within an envelope of 0.1 x 0.2 x 0.8 m(3) is presented.