To adapt the MCRP formulation to incorporate additional mission-specific constraints, such as coverage continuity requirements or inter-satellite communication constraints, the following modifications can be made:
Coverage Continuity Requirements: Constraints can be added to ensure continuous coverage of targets over consecutive stages. This can be achieved by introducing constraints that enforce a minimum overlap of coverage between consecutive stages or by penalizing discontinuities in coverage. The objective function can be adjusted to prioritize solutions that maintain coverage continuity throughout the mission planning horizon.
Inter-Satellite Communication Constraints: If inter-satellite communication is a critical factor in constellation reconfiguration, constraints can be included to model communication links between satellites. These constraints can restrict the assignment of satellites to orbital slots based on communication range or bandwidth limitations. The optimization objective can be modified to maximize communication efficiency or minimize communication delays between satellites.
By incorporating these mission-specific constraints into the MCRP formulation, the optimization process can be tailored to address the unique requirements of the Earth observation satellite constellation reconfiguration problem. This customization ensures that the solutions obtained are not only optimal in terms of observation rewards but also compliant with operational constraints and objectives.