Controlled percolation and optimal two-phase operations in large-scale networks of nanosatellites

The paper deals with the solution of applied problems with the help of clusters of simple nanosatellites (NS) united in a network, each of them incapable of onboard control of the center-of-mass motion and randomly distributed in a given area of coverage of a ground track interval.
If this method of receiving information is used the set of NSs is required not only to study the characteristics of each NS but also to consider the characteristics of large-scale random clusters of objects forming a "complex network". The notion of controlled percolation of the coverage region implemented in two phases is introduced. During the first phase the stochastic base with comparatively small concentration of NSs is formed which does not provide stochastic percolation, while during the second one additional nanosatellites are introduced in intercluster intervals in an optimal way to achieve the shortest percolation path through stochastically formed NS clusters with a relatively small total number of NSs and minimum of total costs.