Abstract: In this paper, a new method for maintaining and reconfiguring the solar sail spacecraft formation is proposed, based on the fact that the orbit of the high areatomass ratio spacecraft can be controlled via solar radiation pressure. The difference of solar radiation pressure on the formation members can be adjusted by controlling attitude angles and reflection coefficient of the chief and deputy solar sail spacecraft, and the continuous low thrust can be produced for counteracting the perturbation difference in relative motion of formation constellation members or orbital maneuvers, thus achieving the purpose of formation configuration maintenance and formation reconfiguration. Under the condition that attitude angles and the reflection coefficient of the chief solar sail spacecraft are relatively fixed, the simulation results show that the purpose of longterm formation keeping of solar sail spacecraft formations in Sunsynchronous orbit can be achieved by sliding mode control, which is able to counteract the perturbation difference in relative motion of formation constellation members by controlling attitude angles and reflection coefficient of the deputy solar sail spacecraft. And in the same way, formation reconfiguration can be achieved by using openloop control after long period.

Key words: solar radiation pressure, solar sail spacecraft, attitude angle, reflection coefficient, formation keeping, formation reconfiguration