Formation Keeping Control for Deorbiting an Uncooperative Satellite by Laser Ablation

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Researchers have developed a formation-keeping control law that enables a chaser satellite to maintain a precise relative position while using laser ablation to deorbit uncooperative space debris. This development is commercially significant for active debris removal (ADR) services, as it provides the mathematical framework for synchronized deceleration of both the chaser and target, ensuring continuous contact-free thrust without orbital drift.