Microsatellite Constellation Design for Global Mars Observation

Imaging of Mars allows for the study of its geology and climate, the detection of traces of past water and potential conditions conducive to life, and the selection of safe landing sites for future missions. At the same time, the development of Mars missions stimulates the advancement of observational technologies and remote sensing methods, and surface mapping allows for the determination of the distribution and availability of resources, such as water ice. In this context, the development of an appropriate satellite system capable of systematic Mars imaging is essential. This paper presents a concept for a constellation designed for global imaging of Mars with a spatial resolution of 25 m. The main objective of the project was to achieve full coverage of the planet’s surface within one Martian year. The requirements for the proposed mission were defined based on the target GSD and additional design priorities. Preliminary orbital parameters were determined analytically, and the set of considered configurations was narrowed down. Subsequently, numerical simulations were performed using the STK 12.8 software, which allowed for an assessment of the effectiveness of individual variants in terms of Mars surface coverage and the time required to achieve it. The analyses made it possible to determine the constellation parameters that meet the specific design requirements. It was demonstrated that achieving the primary objective and the specific objectives—which include minimizing the number of satellites, achieving 95 percent system reliability, and reducing the time required to achieve full coverage—leads to the use of different orbital configurations. The presented concept constitutes the initial stage of designing a Mars observation system and can serve as a basis for further analyses that take into account additional technical and operational constraints of the mission.