Patent ID: 8096511

Claim:
A system for controlling deployment of at least two spacecrafts which are provided with maneuvering means and are configured to move according to a chosen formation, the system comprising: a control device comprising: a first measurement unit configured to determine substantially simultaneously orbital positions of said spacecrafts, and a first calculation unit configured to determine for each of said spacecrafts, as a function of said orbital positions, maneuvers for positioning each of said spacecrafts at a predetermined instant substantially in a predetermined position with respect to a reference trajectory of a reference craft, having regard to a time law of a reference craft on said reference trajectory, so as to place said spacecrafts in said formation; at least one second measurement unit installed on one of said spacecrafts and configured to perform a measurement of relative positions between the one of said spacecrafts and an object within a rendezvous space of the one of said spacecrafts; and at least one second calculation unit installed on the one of said spacecrafts and configured to estimate a risk of collision with the object within the rendezvous space on the basis at least of said measurement of relative positions and, after the risk of collision exceeding a predetermined threshold value, to determine avoidance maneuvers.