A mixed integer linear programming model for resolution of the antenna-satellite scheduling problem

This article deals with one of the types of “Satellite Range Scheduling” problems arising in Earth Observation Satellite operations, Antenna-Satellite Scheduling. Given a set of satellites, a set of available antennas and a time horizon, the problem consists of designing an operational plan that assigns satellites to antennas in an optimal fashion. Extending a previous integer linear programming (ILP) model (shortening model, with only integer variables), we propose a mixed ILP (MILP) (shaving model, which includes both continuous and integer variables), to more efficiently solve this problem. After computing the passes generated by the satellites' windows of visibility from the antennas, the optimal planner is able to cancel a pass, move it to another antenna, or shorten its duration, in order to avoid scheduling conflicts. In contrast to the shortening model, which used intersections between passes to determine the best schedule, the shortening operation is now referred to as shaving, since the shaving model can arbitrarily adjust the duration of a pass in a razor-like fashion, giving the model its name. Computational results obtained in tests over realistic scenarios prove that the shaving model outperforms the shortening model, producing fewer cancellations, smaller shaved times, and a fairer distribution of cancelled passes among satellites, with much shorter preprocessing times.