Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulations of spacecraft attitude synchronization using the State-Dependent Riccati Equation technique

A nonlinear control technique pertaining to attitude synchronization problems is presented for formation flying spacecraft by utilizing the State-Dependent Riccati Equation (SDRE) technique. An attitude controller consisting of relative control and absolute control is designed using a reaction wheel assembly for regulator and tracking problems. To achieve effective relative control, the selective state-dependent connectivity is also adopted. The global asymptotic stability of the controller is confirmed using the Lyapunov theorem and is verified by Monte-Carlo simulations. An air-bearing-based Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulator (HILS) is also developed to validate the proposed control laws in real-time environments. The SDRE controller is discretized for implementation of a real-time processor in the HILS. The pointing errors are about 0.2° in the numerical simulations and about 1° in the HILS simulations, and experimental simulations confirm the effectiveness of the control algorithm for attitude synchronization in a spacecraft formation flying mission. Consequently, experiments using the HILS in a real-time environment can appropriately perform spacecraft attitude synchronization algorithms for formation flying spacecraft.     

基于网络同步的航天器编队飞行姿态控制方法

航天器编队飞行需要协同控制系统进行统一的协调管理,以实现协同工作。文章将网络同步控制理论应用于航天器编队飞行姿态控制,以提高航天器编队飞行姿态控制的协同性。首先,采用修正的罗德里格斯参数描述航天器姿态动力学;然后,基于网络同步控制算法,设计航天器编队飞行的非线性姿态协同控制律;考虑成员航天器间姿态变化的差异,采用混合控制技术,设计航天器编队飞行混合控制策略。仿真结果验证了控制方法和控制律的有效性,并且相比单一反馈机制,混合控制具有更好的控制品质。     

椭圆轨道编队的构形变化控制方法

推导了椭圆轨道编队的一些典型构形模态,指出椭圆轨道卫星编队的模态不同于圆轨道的构形模态,是极为丰富的。基于T-H方程的解析解,推导了副星在沿航向常值推力作用下的椭圆轨道编队的构形变化控制方法。推导的构形变化控制方法,通过合理的选择控制量的作用时刻,可达到大量节约燃料的目的。最后,给出仿真算例。     

卫星运动对星间双向法时间同步的影响分析与校正

编队飞行卫星间的距离和时间差测量是实现分布式航天器完成特定任务的重要基础。文章分析了采用双向法实现星间距离和时间差测量处理时,卫星运动对星间双向比对测量的影响,推导出在考虑卫星运动情况下,星间双向比对测量数据的处理算法,给出了忽略卫星运行参数情况下,对距离和时间差计算结果的影响情况对比。     

航天器稀疏编队飞行的概念及其设计方法

提出了航天器稀疏编队飞行的概念及其设计方法，阐明了它与通常的紧密编队飞行的区别及其在应用上的前景。采用了一个比Hill解更为广泛的新公式来设计稀疏编队，并列举了若干稀疏编队的阵形。当各航天器距离很近时，该公式自然退化为与Hill解相同的形式。通过与Hill解的设计相比较，表明了新公式用于稀疏编队设计的优越性。     

航天器分布式有限时间编队方法

以二阶积分环节作为单体航天器动力学模型,在固定通信拓扑的基础上,假设每个航天器仅获取相邻航天器的速度位置信息,设计了分布式有限时间跟踪控制算法,并证明了算法的有效性。在该算法的基础上,采用了虚拟结构和阶级控制方法,使第一阶级航天器接受虚拟领队形成的虚拟结构信息,次级航天器接受上一级航天器信息,给出了有限时间编队方法,并通过数值仿真验证了该编队算法。     

Convex optimisation approach to constrained fuel optimal control of spacecraft in close relative motion

This paper describes an interesting and powerful approach to the constrained fuel-optimal control of spacecraft in close relative motion. The proposed approach is well suited for problems under linear dynamic equations, therefore perfectly fitting to the case of spacecraft flying in close relative motion. If the solution of the optimisation is approximated as a polynomial with respect to the time variable, then the problem can be approached with a technique developed in the control engineering community, known as “Sum Of Squares” (SOS), and the constraints can be reduced to bounds on the polynomials. Such a technique allows rewriting polynomial bounding problems in the form of convex optimisation problems, at the cost of a certain amount of conservatism. The principles of the techniques are explained and some application related to spacecraft flying in close relative motion are shown.     

基于增强型单频GPS的高精度星间相对定位样条方法

为了实现高精度的分布式SAR星间相对定位,提出了一种基于增强型单频GPS的相对定位样条方法,即在单频GPS测量信息的基础上,增加星间距离观测信息,并结合相对位置参数的连续特性,建立了相对定位的样条模型,最后利用最小二乘法进行参数估计.仿真结果表明,新方法不仅能大大提高相对定位精度,而且还能有效地减少固定整周模糊度所需的历元.最后的理论分析证明了仿真的正确性.      

大规模卫星星群域管控策略设计

针对大规模卫星星群单节点管控带来的系统通联性差、地面资源依赖度高等问题,提出了分层管理、域内自治、动态维护的卫星星群分布式域管控策略。首先,设计了衡量卫星节点管控能力的静态指数及动态指数,并提出了多因素加权的星群簇首选择方法。其次,提出了通过逐层择优的方式进行域结构初始化的算法流程。最后,根据星群变化情形,提出了基于事件触发的动态时间片域管控方法,保证了大规模星群在全任务周期内能维持相对稳定的管控构型。仿真结果表明,所提出的域管控策略能够有效完成对目标星群的簇首选择、域初始化及动态维护过程,并保持域结构的稳定。实现了目标星群在空间中的域结构划分管理,使地面直接参与管理的卫星节点数目降至原管理模式的14%,有效解决了星群管控严重依赖地面资源的相关问题。     

Design of a formation of solar pumped lasers for asteroid deflection

This paper presents the design of a multi-spacecraft system for the deflection of asteroids. Each spacecraft is equipped with a fibre laser and a solar concentrator. The laser induces the sublimation of a portion of the surface of the asteroid, and the resultant jet of gas and debris thrusts the asteroid off its natural course. The main idea is to have a formation of spacecraft flying in the proximity of the asteroid with all the spacecraft beaming to the same location to achieve the required deflection thrust. The paper presents the design of the formation orbits and the multi-objective optimisation of the formation in order to minimise the total mass in space and maximise the deflection of the asteroid. The paper demonstrates how significant deflections can be obtained with relatively small sized, easy-to-control spacecraft.     

Adaptive sliding mode control of spacecraft attitude-orbit dynamics on SE(3)

In this paper, to solve the problem of parameters uncertainty in spacecraft tracking control, an adaptive controller based on sliding mode is proposed for the relative spacecraft attitude-orbit dynamics on the Lie group SE(3). The dynamic equations of relative attitude orbit error for two spacecraft are established in the framework of Lie group SE(3). Considering the uncertainty of spacecraft parameters, a formal decomposition of known and unknown parameters, the state variables and control variables is firstly made in the original system. An online estimator is designed to evaluate the unknown parameters. A sliding mode controller is developed to actuate the spacecraft to track the target spacecraft. Then a Lyapunov function of tracking error and parameters estimated error is designed to prove the stability of the closed-loop system. Finally, the simulation results and analysis are presented to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method.     

近地轨道集群航天器电磁编队飞行非线性反馈控制方法

针对近地轨道集群航天器电磁编队飞行的动力学和控制问题, 提出了一种非线性反馈控制方法. 基于电磁力模型和地磁场模型, 分析了地磁场对近地轨道电磁编队的影响; 建立了集群航天器电磁编队高精度相对轨道动力学模型; 基于Lyapunov稳定性理论设计了一种非线性反馈控制律, 利用该方法对两星电磁编队维持控制进行了仿真验证. 仿真结果表明, 地磁场引起的电磁干扰力可以忽略, 但是电磁干扰力矩的影响必须考虑; 近地轨道集群航天器电磁编队是可控的, 所设计的控制方法是可行的.      

PROBA-3 mission and the Shadow Position Sensors: Metrology measurement concept and budget

PROBA-3 is a space mission of the European Space Agency that will test, and validate metrology and control systems for autonomous formation flying of two independent satellites. PROBA-3 will operate in a High Elliptic Orbit and when approaching the apogee at 6·10⁴ Km, the two spacecraft will align to realize a giant externally occulted coronagraph named ASPIICS, with the telescope on one satellite and the external occulter on the other one, at inter-satellite distance of 144.3 m. The formation will be maintained over 6 hrs across the apogee transit and during this time different validation operations will be performed to confirm the effectiveness of the formation flying metrology concept, the metrology control systems and algorithms, and the spacecraft manoeuvring. The observation of the Sun’s Corona in the field of view [1.08;3.0]R_Sun will represent the scientific tool to confirm the formation flying alignment. In this paper, we review the mission concept and we describe the Shadow Position Sensors (SPS), one of the metrological systems designed to provide high accuracy (sub-millimetre level) absolute and relative alignment measurement of the formation flying. The metrology algorithm developed to convert the SPS measurements in lateral and longitudinal movement estimation is also described and the measurement budget summarized.     

Forming and keeping fast fly-around under constant thrust

A new switching control algorithm under constant thrust is designed for the chaser fast flying around the target spacecraft along a specified fly-around trajectory. The switching control laws are obtained based on the acceleration sequences and the on time of thrusters which can be computed by the time series analysis method. The perturbations and fuel consumptions are addressed during the computation of the on time of thrusters. Furthermore, the relative position parameters of the target spacecraft are obtained by using the vision measurement and the target fly-around positions are calculated through the isochronous interpolation method. The change of the relative position and the relative velocity of the chaser during the constant thrust fast fly-around are presented through simulation example. It is proved that, with the switching control laws, the chaser will fast fly around the target spacecraft along the specified fly-around trajectory.     

Optimal guidance and collision avoidance for docking with the rotating target spacecraft

The guidance and control strategy for spacecraft rendezvous and docking are of vital importance, especially for a chaser spacecraft docking with a rotating target spacecraft. Approach guidance for docking maneuver in planar is studied in this paper. Approach maneuver includes two processes: optimal energy approach and the following flying-around approach. Flying-around approach method is presented to maintain a fixed relative distance and attitude for chaser spacecraft docking with target spacecraft. Due to the disadvantage of energy consumption and initial velocity condition, optimal energy guidance is presented and can be used for providing an initial state of flying-around approach process. The analytical expression of optimal energy guidance is obtained based on the Pontryagin minimum principle which can be used in real time. A couple of solar panels on the target spacecraft are considered as obstacles during proximity maneuvers, so secure docking region is discussed. A two-phase optimal guidance method is adopted for collision avoidance with solar panels. Simulation demonstrates that the closed-loop optimal energy guidance satisfies the ending docking constraints, avoids collision with time-varying rotating target, and provides the initial velocity conditions of flying-around approach maneuver. Flying-around approach maneuver can maintain fixed relative position and attitude for docking.     

利用大气阻力的横向编队维持控制

研究了航天器在近圆轨道面内横向固定间隔距离内伴飞编队维持问题。基于经典轨道要素偏差法分析了相对运动特性和大气阻力对相对运动的影响。根据利用大气阻力引起的横向相对运动漂移,设计了有利于长期伴飞编队维持的初始半长轴偏差和伴飞边界点的期望半长轴偏差,进一步给出了进行伴飞维持的边界点横向速度脉冲。仿真结果表明,该控制策略进行伴飞编队维持是可行的,维持所需的速度脉冲次数少、速度增量小,且算法简单,有利于航天器自主化实现。     

椭圆轨道卫星编队燃料最优机动实时算法

文章针对椭圆轨道编队卫星最优燃料机动的实时计算问题进行研究。利用LGL伪谱法对问题进行快速求解。由于最优燃料控制为非连续控制,如直接采用伪谱法则只有当离散点数目很大时,才能实现较高精度的编队机动控制,而这会影响算法的实时计算效率。为了克服这方面的不足,文章提出了一种时间尺度变换策略,并结合模型预测的滚动优化方法,设计了一种编队实时机动控制算法。该算法在兼顾解的全局最优性的同时改善了解的局部精确性,最后通过数值仿真验证了所设计算法的有效性。     

航天器相对运动与Hill解的适用性分析

研究了空间飞行器编队中最具基础性的问题之一 ,即相对运动的解析表达及 Hill方程的适用条件。通过建立相对运动的通解公式 ,针对不同性质的初值深入地分析了其相对运动轨迹的本质特征 ,并给出了 Hill方程的适用条件。此外 ,文中还给出了一个新的编队设计简化公式