Modeling of the leader-follower satellite formation for long baseline

Abstract Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) represents a crucial component of synthetic aperture radar technologies, with the accuracy of measurements significantly improving as the baseline length increases. In comparison with the traditional Hill-Clohessy-Wiltshire (HCW) equations, the application of curvilinear coordinate systems for modeling satellite formations in circular orbits has demonstrated enhanced precision, especially when the formations span larger distances. However, these improvements were initially limited to circular orbits. Addressing this limitation, this study introduces a novel approach by incorporating elliptical orbits into the model, thereby refining the state transition matrix through the incorporation of eccentricity factors and maintaining the direct correlation with the temporal dynamics of satellite motion in three dimensions. Through rigorous numerical simulations, it has been established that this refined model substantially improves accuracy in leader-follower satellite formations.