Space VLBI-Exploring The Potential of Hybrid Orbit Configurations

Space VLBI-Exploring The Potential of Hybrid Orbit Configurations | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Space VLBI-Exploring The Potential of Hybrid Orbit Configurations Tiasha Biswas, Harsha Avinash Tanti, Samit Kumar Pal, Abhirup Datta This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6376021/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Nov, 2025 Read the published version in Experimental Astronomy → Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Space-Based Very Long Baseline Interferometry (SVLBI) offers unprecedented resolution and sensitivity in radio astronomy by deploying radio telescopes in space. However, designing an optimal satellite constellation for SVLBI is challenging due to the need for comprehensive \((u,v)\) coverage. This is the first paper in a series that examines different orbital configurations to identify the most suitable for SVLBI applications.Hybrid constellations, combining satellites in different orbits were found to be superior to single-orbit configurations. Specifically, three hybrid configurations demonstrated exceptional performance: a four-satellite setup with two satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and two in Low Earth Orbit (LEO); a five-satellite configuration with three satellites in MEO and two in LEO; and a five-satellite constellation comprising one satellite in High Earth Orbit (HEO), two in MEO, and two in LEO.These configurations were evaluated based on their $ (u,v) $ coverage, point spread function, and simulations of point and extended sources. In the sequel paper, we will further explore the resolution, imaging fidelity, and dynamic range obtained using this optimal configuration. Space-based Very Long Baseline Interferometry (SVLBI) Radio Astronomy High Resolution Point Spread Function (PSF) Hybrid Satellite Constellation Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Nov, 2025 Read the published version in Experimental Astronomy → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 04 Jun, 2025 Reviews received at journal 04 Jun, 2025 Reviews received at journal 05 May, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Apr, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 Apr, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 28 Apr, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 23 Apr, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 20 Apr, 2025 First submitted to journal 04 Apr, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6376021","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":450179373,"identity":"de0c5f97-3ee0-43c0-a041-5ec067bcaa71","order_by":0,"name":"Tiasha Biswas","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Indian Institute of Technology Indore","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tiasha","middleName":"","lastName":"Biswas","suffix":""},{"id":450179374,"identity":"9be71247-7907-4bb8-959f-266c4b6b44f0","order_by":1,"name":"Harsha Avinash Tanti","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Indian Institute of Technology Indore","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Harsha","middleName":"Avinash","lastName":"Tanti","suffix":""},{"id":450179375,"identity":"8525720b-7f85-4590-9fa2-9061f26b4107","order_by":2,"name":"Samit Kumar Pal","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Indian Institute of Technology Indore","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Samit","middleName":"Kumar","lastName":"Pal","suffix":""},{"id":450179376,"identity":"98fd1bad-f92f-439c-9ee2-274a1b383c5b","order_by":3,"name":"Abhirup Datta","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA90lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCR6GA2AGmKwAcpkh4sRoYWZsYDgjwcNDjBYGuBbGNgYGHtxqIYB/du/Bw5Vtdxj4jp8//uDnPAsZe3YGxg8/GCzycFpy51zCwbNtzxgkzyQzNvZuAzuMWbKHQaIYpzU3cgwONrYdZjA4kMzYwAvRwiANNCuxAYcOebiW848ZG//OgdjyG58WA7iWG8mMzbwNYC1seG0xvHPG4GDDuWc8kjceG86WOQbUcpixzbLHALcWuds9xh8byu7I8Z1PfPDxTU2dPXv/4cM3flTU4dQCBQeQYwMYpQwG+NUzQFPLKBgFo2AUjALsAABz2FWhFomn2wAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Indian Institute of Technology Indore","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Abhirup","middleName":"","lastName":"Datta","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-04-04 12:08:15","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6376021/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6376021/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-025-10031-x","type":"published","date":"2025-11-03T15:57:11+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":95563976,"identity":"01cb0762-4515-4c8a-be64-165cf78cbe95","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-10 16:05:25","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":7432673,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"SpaceVLBIpapersubmissionready.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6376021/v1_covered_0cfbb899-ce6e-482d-9890-7ad6dc372fd4.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Space VLBI-Exploring The Potential of Hybrid Orbit Configurations","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"experimental-astronomy","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"expa","sideBox":"Learn more about [Experimental Astronomy](http://link.springer.com/journal/10686)","snPcode":"10686","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10686/3","title":"Experimental Astronomy","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Space-based Very Long Baseline Interferometry (SVLBI), Radio Astronomy, High Resolution, Point Spread Function (PSF), Hybrid Satellite Constellation","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6376021/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6376021/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eSpace-Based Very Long Baseline Interferometry (SVLBI) offers unprecedented resolution and sensitivity in radio astronomy by deploying radio telescopes in space. However, designing an optimal satellite constellation for SVLBI is challenging due to the need for comprehensive \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e \\((u,v)\\) \u003c/span\u003e \u003c/span\u003e coverage. This is the first paper in a series that examines different orbital configurations to identify the most suitable for SVLBI applications.Hybrid constellations, combining satellites in different orbits were found to be superior to single-orbit configurations. 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