Constellation of Mini Sounders for Meteorology Deployment and Renewal Scenarios Study with Petri Nets

The rapid expansion of satellite constellations, with a significant number expected to be operational within the next decade, presents both opportunities and challenges. These constellations are crucial for enhancing global communication, particularly in underserved areas, for advanced Earth observation capabilities, etc. However, the increasing number of satellites also exacerbates concerns regarding orbital debris and congestion in critical Low Earth Orbits and Geostationary Earth Orbits. Sustainable integration and efficient utilization of these constellations within the current space framework are essential. This paper explores the deployment and renewal strategies for satellite constellations, focusing on the weather constellation CMIM (Constellation of MIni sounders for Meteorology) as a case study. The study evaluates various scenarios, analyzing factors such as satellite type, quantity, reliability, redundancy within satellites or between the satellites of a plane, etc. A simulation-based approach, employing Petri nets combined with Monte Carlo simulations, is used to evaluate the impact of these factors on system performance, while also focusing on defining possible degraded revisit scenarios. During the project phase 0, the simulation models provide a comprehensive comparison of performance and cost metrics across multiple scenarios. Key considerations include the in-orbit stock management, renewal launch frequency, and redundancy strategies. The results contribute to optimizing service availability and ensuring the long-term efficiency and sustainability of satellite constellations in an increasingly populated space environment.

Keywords: Satellite constellation, Availability, Petri nets, Space, Deployment, Renewal, Redundancy, Monte Carlo, Phase 0.