Space-based line-of-sight tracking control of GEO target using nonsingular terminal sliding mode

This paper addresses the issue of high-precision line-of-sight (LOS) tracking of geosynchronous earth orbit target in highly dynamic conditions via spacecraft attitude maneuver. First, characteristics of the LOS motion are analyzed by a simplified linear relative motion model. Second, after transforming the quaternion-based attitude model into a double integrator system, a new nonsingular terminal sliding mode controller is proposed for spacecraft attitude tracking in a nominal case without parametric uncertainties and external disturbances. Third, an adaptive new nonsingular terminal mode controller is proposed for spacecraft attitude tracking in an uncertain case, which is done via constructing a pair of adaptive laws to estimate the parametric uncertainties and external disturbances online. The robust stability and finite time convergence property of the closed-loop system are demonstrated by Lyapunov theorem. Under control of the proposed controller, zero steady state error tracking of LOS with a smooth transition phase can be achieved in scheduled time, regardless of parametric uncertainties and external disturbances online. Finally, detailed numerical simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and performance of the proposed controllers. Contrasting simulation results shows that proposed controllers can track the desired trajectories effectively and have better performance against the controllers based on linear sliding mode and the existing fast nonsingular terminal sliding mode.     

Automatic orbital docking with tumbling target using sliding mode control

The present study aimed to propose translational and rotational control of a chaser spacecraft in the close vicinity docking phase with a target subjected to external disturbances. For this purpose, two sliding mode controls (SMC) are developed to coordinate the relative position and attitude of two spacecraft. The chaser is guided to the tumbling target by the relative position control, approaching in the direction of the target docking port. At the same moment, the relative attitude control coordinates the chaser attitude so that it can be aligned with the target orientation. These control systems regulate the relative translational and rotational velocities to be zero when two spacecraft are docking. The robustness of the closed-loop system in the presence of external disturbances, measurement noises and uncertainties is guaranteed by analyzing and calculating the control gains via the Lyapunov function. The simulations in different scenarios indicated the effectiveness of the controller scheme and precise maneuver regarding the accuracy of docking conditions.     

自由漂浮机械臂抓取翻滚目标的自适应控制策略

提出了一种自由漂浮机械臂抓取翻滚目标的自适应控制策略.抓取翻滚目标要求自由漂浮机械臂具有很强的轨迹跟踪能力,但是自由漂浮机械臂本身以及目标所存在的运动学和动力学参数不确定性使基于模型的控制器性能急剧下降,甚至变得不稳定.通过对参数的自适应逐步改善基于模型的控制器的性能,并且提出了一种新的自由漂浮机械臂关节空间自适应控制器.最后通过数值仿真对所提出的自适应控制策略进行了验证.     

Tube-based robust output feedback model predictive control for autonomous rendezvous and docking with a tumbling target

In this paper, a tube-based robust output feedback model predictive control method (TRMPC) is proposed for controlling chaser spacecraft docking with a tumbling target in near-circular orbit. The controller contains a simple, stable, Luenberger state estimator and a tube-based robust model predictive controller. Several practical challenges are also considered under dock-enabling conditions, such as the control saturation, velocity constraint, approach corridor constraint, and collision avoidance constraint. Meanwhile, uncertainties are carefully analyzed when designing the controller, including dynamics uncertainty, measurement error, and control deviation. The TRMPC ensures that all possible state trajectories with uncertainties lie in the minimum robust positively invariant set (mRPI, i.e., the so-called tube in this paper). The tube center is the solution of a nominal (without uncertainties) system. Another important contribution of this paper is to propose a technique where it is unnecessary to calculate the mRPI explicitly. Thereby, the ‘curse of dimensionality’ can be avoided for a six-dimensional system. To verify the feasibility of the proposed TRMPC strategy in the presence of uncertainties, two scenarios of autonomous rendezvous and docking (AR&D) are simulated. The simulation results show that the TRMPC method is more efficient in minimizing the uncertainties, fuel consumption, and computational cost, compared to the classic model predictive control (MPC) method.     

基于非线性干扰观测器的航天器相对姿轨耦合控制

针对带挠性附件的服务航天器在近距离逼近失控目标航天器时的控制问题,考虑由于推进安装偏差导致的姿轨耦合,通过选用相对位置和相对姿态四元数作为状态向量,建立了服务航天器与失控目标航天器的相对位置和姿态动力学方程。考虑服务航天器的挠性附件影响,挠性振动可以视为位置和姿态控制系统微分有界的干扰。基于反馈线性化方法提出了非线性反馈控制律,设计了非线性干扰观测器,用于补偿可建模干扰,并基于所提非线性反馈控制律和非线性干扰观测器设计了复合控制器,其中非线性干扰观测器用于补偿挠性附件产生的干扰。数字仿真及半物理实物闭环验证表明,利用所设计的复合控制器能够有效补偿干扰,同时在对失控目标航天器跟踪时具有很好的鲁棒性。      

旋转非合作目标终端逼近的姿轨控制研究

针对旋转非合作目标的终端逼近过程进行研究, 建立了适用于任意偏心率的精 确航天器相对运动和姿态动力学模型, 并对传统的直线型同步自旋逼近策略进行 改进, 设计了用于保障终端逼近安全性的指数衰减型参考轨迹; 推导了基于比例 微分加解耦控制方法的相对轨道和姿态控制律, 通过数值仿真验证了控制器的有效性.      

Motion-planning and pose-tracking based rendezvous and docking with a tumbling target

Rendezvous and docking (RVD) with a tumbling target is challenging. In this paper, a novel control scheme based on motion planning and pose (position and attitude) tracking is proposed to solve the pose control of a chaser docking with a tumbling target in the phase of close range rendezvous. Firstly, the current desired motion of the chaser is planned according to the motion of the target. In planning the desired motion, the “approach path constraint” is considered to avoid collisions between the chaser and the target, and the “field-of-view constraint” is considered to make sure the vision sensors on the chaser to obtain tight relative pose knowledge of the target with respect to the chaser. Then, the difference between the chaser’s motion and the desired motion is gradually reduced by a pose tracking controller. This controller is based on the non-singular terminal sliding mode (NTSM) method to make the tracking error converge to zero in finite time. Since the chaser nearly moves along the desired motion and the motion is reasonable, (1) it could safely arrive at the docking port of the target with a suitable relative attitude, (2) it will be always suitably oriented to observe the target well, and (3) the magnitude of the needed control inputs are less than that in existing literatures. The numerical results demonstrate the above three advantages of the proposed method.     

天宫一号目标飞行器GNC分系统容错策略设计

天宫一号目标飞行器是中国研制的新一代专门用于交会对接的大型载人航天器.为保证其长期在轨安全可靠运行,顺利完成与载人飞船的交会对接任务,以及单体飞行和组合体飞行期间的姿态和轨道控制任务,要求GNC分系统设计充分的容错策略.对GNC分系统软硬件平台进行介绍,对敏感器、执行机构以及控制器的软硬件容错策略进行详述.该策略在实际应用中得到验证,结果表明设计合理,可以有效提高GNC分系统的系统性能和可靠性.     

电磁航天器编队悬停鲁棒协同控制方法

针对电磁航天器编队近地轨道悬停问题,提出一种在缺少参考轨道准确信息时的协同控制方法。用TH方程描述航天器间的相对运动,选择与参考轨道同周期的圆轨道为标称轨道。将参考轨道相对于标称圆轨道的偏差、地球非球形引力、大气阻力及其他天体引力等参数单独归类,视其为不确定量,构成不确定系统。通过引入一致性理论,在电磁作用模型和动力学方程均存在不确定性的条件下,针对航天器编队悬停的目标设计了鲁棒协同控制律。考虑能量消耗最优和均衡以及轨道姿态解耦,给出了通过优化进行磁矩配置的方案。仿真结果表明,所设计的鲁棒协同控制律能够实现编队电磁航天器高精度悬停,所给出的磁矩配置方案能够实现磁矩的合理分配。      

基于事件触发的航天器姿态自适应容错控制

针对航天器通信和计算资源约束以及执行器故障场景下的姿态控制问题,提出了一种基于事件触发的航天器姿态自适应容错控制策略。首先,采用自适应方法估计故障信息、外界扰动等系统中未知参数,并引入事件触发机制,在执行器故障下实现容错控制的同时,节约星载计算机的计算资源。然后,基于李雅普诺夫方法证明了所提出的控制策略保证了闭环系统状态全局一致且最终有界稳定,并能有效避免Zeno现象,保证了执行器故障场景下对姿态的精确控制。最后,应用于航天器的姿态稳定试验,仿真结果验证了该方法的有效性。     

基于预设性能控制的超紧密航天器编队防避撞协同控制

研究了考虑具有外界干扰和防避撞约束的近地轨道超紧密航天器构型控制问题,将反步控制技术、预设性能控制相结合,提出了一种基于预设性能鲁棒控制的六自由度编队协同鲁棒控制方法。首先,给出了近地轨道完整的编队航天器相对位置和相对姿态非线性动力学方程,并根据状态约束条件转换了相对位置动力学模型。其次,设计了预设性能函数,通过误差转换,建立系统等效误差模型,基于反步法设计了预设性能鲁棒控制器,进一步应用Lyapunov稳定性定理证明了其闭环系统的一致最终有界性。最后在MATLAB/Simulink平台上进行了仿真验证,结果表明了方法的有效性。     

椭圆轨道非合作目标交会接近策略与控制

文章研究了追踪航天器与失控旋转非合作目标航天器在椭圆轨道中的交会接近策略与控制。在接近策略方面,首先,根据目标航天器大致结构设定一个安全的停泊点,使追踪航天器交会至停泊点;其次,通过在停泊点对旋转目标航天器姿态的观测,分析和预测其运动并确定合适的抓捕点位置,设计安全的接近轨迹,使追踪航天器沿着该轨迹接近至理想的抓捕实施点位置。在控制方面,考虑实际系统中的不确定性,只利用两航天器之间相对位置的测量信息,设计基于特征模型的自适应控制方法实现交会接近。最后通过数学仿真模拟整个交会接近过程,验证了文中所提出的接近策略和控制方法。     

空间非合作目标的逼近控制仿真研究

近距离的相对运动逼近过程是空间在轨服务中非常重要的一个阶段.对该过程的动力学与控制过程开展研究,建立服务航天器向目标航天器逼近过程中的相对姿态运动模型和相对位置运动模型,在目标航天器本体坐标系下,采用直线逼近制导律,基于经典的比例-微分控制律对逼近过程中的相对运动状态进行跟踪控制.最后,建立Simulink动力学模型并开展仿真分析,仿真结果表明六维相对运动模型的可靠性以及控制方法的有效性.     

一种有限推力航天器交会轨道的鲁棒设计方法

基于C—W方程描述的二体相对运动模型,考虑利用范数有界方法刻画航天器交会过程中的参数不确定性,并结合控制推力受限的工程需要,提出了一种在不确定环境下有限推力航天器交会轨道的设计方法。通过构造Lyapunov函数,将此设计问题转化为一个具有线性矩阵不等式约束的凸优化问题,通过求解此问题即可设计出符合航天器交会要求的鲁棒状态反馈控制器。     

Prospects of using a permanent magnetic end effector to despin and detumble an uncooperative target

Space debris, such as defunct satellites and upper stages of rockets, becomes an uncooperative target after losing its attitude control and communication ability. In addition, tumbling motion can occur due to environmental perturbations and residual angular momentum prior to the object’s end-of-mission. To minimize the collision risk during docking and capturing of the tumbling target, a non-contact method based on the eddy current effect is put forward to transmit the control torque to the tumbling target. The main idea is to induce a controllable torque on the conducting surface of the tumbling target using a rotational magnetic field generated by a Halbach rotor. The radial and axial Halbach rotors are used to damp the spinning and nutation motions of the target, respectively. The normal and tangential force are evaluated concerning the relative pose between the chaser and the target. A simplified dynamic model of the nutation damping and despinning processes is developed and the influences of the asymmetrical principal moments of inertia and transverse angular velocity are discussed. The numerical simulation results show that the designed Halbach rotor stabilized the target attitude within an acceptable time. The electromagnetic nutation damping and despinning method provides new solutions for the development of on-orbit capture technology.     

Optimal spacecraft formation establishment and reconfiguration propelled by the geomagnetic Lorentz force

The Lorentz force acting on an electrostatically charged spacecraft as it moves through the planetary magnetic field could be utilized as propellantless electromagnetic propulsion for orbital maneuvering, such as spacecraft formation establishment and formation reconfiguration. By assuming that the Earth’s magnetic field could be modeled as a tilted dipole located at the center of Earth that corotates with Earth, a dynamical model that describes the relative orbital motion of Lorentz spacecraft is developed. Based on the proposed dynamical model, the energy-optimal open-loop trajectories of control inputs, namely, the required specific charges of Lorentz spacecraft, for Lorentz-propelled spacecraft formation establishment or reconfiguration problems with both fixed and free final conditions constraints are derived via Gauss pseudospectral method. The effect of the magnetic dipole tilt angle on the optimal control inputs and the relative transfer trajectories for formation establishment or reconfiguration is also investigated by comparisons with the results derived from a nontilted dipole model. Furthermore, a closed-loop integral sliding mode controller is designed to guarantee the trajectory tracking in the presence of external disturbances and modeling errors. The stability of the closed-loop system is proved by a Lyapunov-based approach. Numerical simulations are presented to verify the validity of the proposed open-loop control methods and demonstrate the performance of the closed-loop controller. Also, the results indicate the dipole tilt angle should be considered when designing control strategies for Lorentz-propelled spacecraft formation establishment or reconfiguration.     

Finite-time relative orbit-attitude tracking control for multi-spacecraft with collision avoidance and changing network topologies

This paper addresses the relative position tracking and attitude synchronization control problem for spacecraft formation flying (SFF). Based on the derived relative coupled six-degree-of-freedom dynamics, a robust adaptive finite-time fast terminal sliding mode controller is proposed to achieve the desired formation in the presence of model uncertainties and external disturbances. It is shown that the designed controller is effective for changing information exchange topology making it robust to node failure. Then, the artificial potential function method is employed to generate collision avoidance schemes to modify the controller such that inter-agent collision avoidance can be ensured during the formation maneuver, which is critical for practical missions. The stability of the overall closed-loop system is proved by using Lyapunov theory. Finally, numerical examples for a given SFF scenario are presented to illustrate the performance of the controller.     

非合作机动目标交会的相对位置控制

研究目标航天器存在机动的情况下追踪航天器与目标航天器的交会问题.只利用两航天器之间的相对位置测量信息,考虑目标机动、外部干扰以及状态耦合,提出一种改进的特征压缩方式并建立相应的解耦特征模型,基于该特征模型设计解耦的自适应控制方法实现追踪航天器与机动目标航天器的交会.仿真结果验证了算法的有效性,并表明其优于传统的PD控制方法.     

基于误差空间的航天器姿态反步容错控制

提出了一种基于误差空间的航天器姿态反步容错控制方法,以反作用飞轮作为航天器的执行器,在考虑反作用飞轮存在安装偏差及故障的情况下,仍可保证航天器姿态的稳定性。首先,基于Lyapunov稳定性原理,根据系统机械能变化构造了具有普遍性的Lyapunov方程。通过反步递推方法,得到了适用于航天器存在执行器偏差及故障情况的普遍性的容错控制方法;然后,通过误差空间拓扑所得的误差函数描述了势能误差。从几何层面上看,这是描述势能误差的最短路径选择,从而得到了基于误差空间的反步容错控制方法。因此,在对航天器进行姿态控制时,该方法可以迅速调整增益,使得系统姿态误差迅速收敛至零,从而有效减少系统响应时间;最终,通过对考虑执行器偏差及故障情况的航天器姿态控制系统使用不同的控制方法进行数值仿真,验证了该方法能够在执行器故障情况下依然保持系统姿态的稳定,且具备良好的响应速度。     

基于分段常值推力的水滴悬停构型控制策略

针对航天器编队飞行任务对相对运动控制的要求,研究了在分段常值推力控制下航天器受迫绕飞构型的设计与控制问题。首先,基于脉冲控制下的水滴悬停构型,提出了多段常值推力控制实现水滴悬停构型的打靶方程;将打靶方程转化为求解极值问题,采用最小二乘法来求解;分析了一段常值推力可行性。然后,以连续常值小推力控制方程为基础,推导了小邻域定理,分析了近距离相对运动条件下两段常值推力控制的可行性;针对可能出现求解精度差的问题,提出了小推力增量方程来修正精度,并证明在靠近理想解的情况下多次迭代可以趋近于理想解。最后,通过数值仿真实现常值小推力控制下的水滴悬停相对运动。数值仿真结果表明常值小推力控制策略可行,研究成果完善了航天器受迫绕飞构型设计与控制的相关理论,为工程应用提供参考。