Study on TT&C resources scheduling technique based on inter-satellite link

The navigation constellation will have the capability of supporting Tracking Telemetry and Command (TT&C) operations by inter-satellite link (ISL). The ISL will become an important solution to reduce the shortage of ground TT&C resources. The problems need to be studied urgently in the field of space TT&C network resources scheduling management are how to determine the availability of ISL and how to allocate TT&C resources of ISL. The performance and scheduling constraints of navigation constellation?s ISL are analyzed, and three utilization strategies of ISL to perform TT&C operations are proposed. The allocation of TT&C resources based on ISL falls into two successive phases. Firstly, master satellite determination equation is established by using 0–1 Programming model based on the availability matrix. Mathematical method is used to solve the equation to determine the master satellite and the topology of ISL. Secondly, Constraint Programming (CP) model is used to describe the ground TT&C resources scheduling problem with special requirements of TT&C operations based on master satellite, and a heuristic algorithm is designed to solve the CP model. The equations and algorithm are verified by simulation examples. The algorithm of TT&C resources scheduling based on ISL has realized the synthesized usage of both the ISL and ground resources on TT&C field. This algorithm can improve TT&C supports of territorial ground TT&C network for global navigation constellation, and provides technical reference for the TT&C mission planning of global constellation by using ISL.