Trade-Space Analysis Tool for Designing Constellations (TAT-C)

While there is growing interest in implementing future NASA Earth Science missions as Distributed Spacecraft Missions (DSMs), there are currently no tool to help in the design of DSMs. The objective of our project is to provide a framework that facilitates DSM Pre-Phase A investigations and optimizes DSM designs with respect to a-priori Science goals. Our Trade-space Analysis Tool for Constellations (TAT-C) allows to investigate questions such as: "Which type of constellations should be chosen? How many spacecraft should be included in the constellation? Which design has the best cost/risk value?" This paper provides a description of the TAT-C tool and its components.