Optimal Control of a Programmed Turn of a Spacecraft

A problem of optimal turn of a spacecraft is considered. The time of turn is minimized, as well as the functional having a meaning of the propellant consumption. An analytical solution to the problem stated is derived. It is demonstrated that the solution optimal in this sense belongs to a class of two-impulse controls, under which a spacecraft executes the turn along the trajectory of its free motion. The solution obtained in this paper differs from earlier available solutions considerably. The estimations of the propellant consumption for a realization of the programmed turn are made.     

Some issues of time-optimal control over a spacecraft programmed turn

The problem of optimal turn of a spacecraft from an arbitrary initial position to a final specified angular position in a minimum time is considered and solved. A case is investigated, when the constraint on spacecraft’s angular momentum during the turn is essential. Based on the quaternion method a solution to the posed problem has been found, and an optimal control program is constructed taking the constraints on controlling moment into account. The optimal control is found in the class of regular motions. A condition (calculation expression) is presented for determining the moment to begin braking with the use of measurements of current motion parameters, which considerably improves the accuracy of putting the spacecraft into a preset position. For a dynamically symmetrical spacecraft the solution to the problem of optimal control by the spacecraft spatial turn is presented in analytical form (expressions in elementary functions). An example of mathematical modeling of the spacecraft motion dynamics under optimal control over reorientation is given.     

Optimal Control of a Spatial Turn of a Spacecraft with Minimal Loading of Construction

The problem of optimal control of a three-dimensional turn of a spacecraft is considered and solved. The turn is performed from an initial angular position into the required final angular position in a specified time and with a minimum value of the functional that represents the degree of loading of the construction. An analytical solution to the formulated problem is presented. It is demonstrated that the optimal (in this sense) control of the spacecraft reorientation can be determined in the class of a regular precession executed by the spacecraft. The instant when braking begins is determined based on the principles of terminal control using the actual kinematical parameters of the spacecraft motion, which substantially increases the accuracy of transferring the spacecraft to a specified position. Data of mathematical modeling are also presented that confirm the efficiency of the described method of controlling the spacecraft's three-dimensional turn.     

Optimal control of the deployment process of solar wings on spacecraft

The optimal attitude control problem of spacecraft during the stretching process of solar wings is investigated in this paper. The dynamical equations of the nonholonomic system are derived from the conservation principle of the angular momentum of the multibody system. Attitude control of the spacecraft with internal motion is reduced to a nonholonomic motion planning problem. The spacecraft attitude control is transformed into the steering problem for a drift free control system. The optimal solution for steering a spacecraft with solar wings is presented. The controlled motion of spacecraft is simulated for two cases. The numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the optimal control approach.     

Control of a spacecraft’s spatial turn with minimum value of the path functional

The problem of optimal (with minimum value of the path functional) control over a spatial reorientation of a spacecraft is considered. Using the quaternion method, an analytical solution to this problem is obtained. For the symmetrical optimality index, the complete solution to the problem of spacecraft reorientation is represented in a closed form. The results of mathematical modeling of the spacecraft motion dynamics are presented, demonstrating the practical efficiency of the developed algorithm of control.     

非凸二次约束下航天器姿态机动路径迭代规划方法

针对复杂约束下航天器姿态机动路径规划问题,首先描述和分析了航天器姿态机动过程中面临的动力学和运动学约束、有界约束、姿态指向约束,把姿态指向约束利用非凸二次型进行表述;其次从能量最优角度出发,将该约束机动问题归纳为非凸二次约束二次规划问题;然后引入线性松弛技术,将该问题转化成双线性规划问题,求出其中一个变量的凸包络和凹包络,降低求解复杂度,从而求出原问题的一个线性松弛。同时为了提高求解精度,提出一种基于评价函数的迭代规划算法,利用线性松弛求出的解作为初值,通过评价函数进行迭代规划,最终求出原问题的最优解。仿真结果表明该方法不仅可以满足复杂的姿态约束,得到全局姿态优化路径,而且能够降低能量消耗。     

The Use of Quaternions in the Optimal Control Problems of Motion of the Center of Mass of a Spacecraft in a Newtonian Gravitational Field: I

The problem of optimal control is considered for the motion of the center of mass of a spacecraft in a central Newtonian gravitational field. For solving the problem, two variants of the equations of motion for the spacecraft center of mass are used, written in rotating coordinate systems. Both the variants have a quaternion variable among the phase variables. In the first variant this variable characterizes the orientation of an instantaneous orbit of the spacecraft and (simultaneously) the spacecraft location in this orbit, while in the second variant only the instantaneous orbit orientation is specified by it. The suggested equations are convenient in the respect that they allow the general three-dimensional problem of optimal control by the motion of the spacecraft center of mass to be considered as a composition of two interrelated problems. In the first variant these problems are (1) the problem of control of the shape and size of the spacecraft orbit and (2) the problem of control of the orientation of a spacecraft orbit and the spacecraft location in this orbit. The second variant treats (1) the problem of control of the shape and size of the spacecraft orbit and the orbit location of the spacecraft and (2) the problem of control of the orientation of the spacecraft orbit. The use of quaternion variables makes this consideration most efficient. The problem of optimal control is solved on the basis of the maximum principle. Several first integrals of the systems of equations of the boundary value problems of the maximum principle are found. Transformations are suggested that reduce the dimensions of the systems of differential equations of boundary value problems (without complicating them). Geometrical interpretations are given to the transformations and first integrals. The relation of the vectorial first integral of one of the derived systems of equations (which is an analog of the well-known vectorial first integral of the studied problem of optimal control) with the found quaternion first integral is considered. In this paper, which is the first part of the work, we consider the models of motion of the spacecraft center of mass that employ quaternion variables. The problem of optimal control by the motion of the spacecraft center of mass is investigated on the basis of the first variant of equations of motion. An example of a numerical solution of the problem is given.     

空间非合作目标燃料最优终端接近策略研究

针对一类姿轨控制系统失效的目标航天器实施空间救援等在轨服务任务。要求追踪航 天器跟踪到达指定目标点,对目标航天器进行在轨捕获,建立了目标航天器在空间自由翻滚 情况下追踪航天器跟踪目标点的动力学模型,并建立了安全无碰撞的燃料最优终端接近模型 。数学仿真表明,当初始条件合适时,燃料最优终端接近轨迹自然满足安全性要求。
     

The Use of Quaternions in the Optimal Control Problems of Motion of the Center of Mass of a Spacecraft in a Newtonian Gravitational Field: III

The results of numerical solution of the problem of a rendezvous in the central Newtonian gravitational field of a controlled spacecraft with an uncontrollable spacecraft moving along an elliptic Keplerian orbit are presented. Two variants of the equations of motion for the spacecraft center of mass are used, written in rotating coordinate systems and using quaternion variables to describe the orientations of these coordinate systems. The problem of a rendezvous of two spacecraft is formulated [1, 2] as a problem of optimal control by the motion of the center of mass of a controlled spacecraft with a movable right end of the trajectory, and it is solved on the basis of Pontryagin's maximum principle. The paper is a continuation of papers [1, 2], where the problem of a rendezvous of two spacecraft has been considered theoretically using the two above variants of the equations of motion for the center of mass of the controlled spacecraft.     

挠性航天器控制系统的最优综合

本文研究了挠笥航天器控制系统的最优综合设计问题，给出了系统最优时控制律和执行机构与传感器配置应满足的非线性方程，而且在这一设计过程中通过使用特征值灵敏度约束，明显降低了控制系统对执行机构和传感器安全误差的敏感性，克服了轨迹敏感性约束和单纯使用特征值灵敏度指标的不足。     

空间机械臂非完整运动规划的遗传算法研究

带空间机械臂航天器系统在无外力矩作用时，系统相对于总质心的动量矩守恒而变为非完整系统。由于非完整约束的不可积性，非完整系统的运动规划与控制比一般系统要困难得多。现利用非完整特性研究了自由漂浮空间机械臂的三维姿态运动控制问题。首先导出带空间机械臂的航天器三维姿态运动数学模型，并将系统的控制问题转化为无漂移系统的非完整运动规划问题。在运动规划中，根据最优控制原理和优化理论，提出基于遗传算法的最优运动规划数值算法。通过数值仿真，表明该方法对空间机械臂及航天器三维姿态运动的非完整运动规划是有效的。     

Optimization Problem in Control over a Programmed Turn of a Spacecraft

The problem of spacecraft reorientation from its initial angular position into a desired final position within a given time interval with a minimum value of the angular moment is considered and solved analytically in this work. It is shown that the control over the spacecraft reorientation, optimal in this sense, might be defined in the class of a regular precession performed by the spacecraft. The moment of the start of deceleration is determined from the principles of the terminal control by using real kinematic parameters of apparatus motion, which increases significantly the accuracy of reorientation. The results of mathematical modeling are presented, showing a high efficiency of the proposed way of reorientation.     

On solving the problems of optimization of trajectories of many-revolution orbit transfers of spacecraft

The problem of optimal control over many-revolution spacecraft orbit transfers between circular coplanar orbits of satellites is considered. The spacecraft flight is controlled by a thrust vector of a jet engine with restricted thrust (JERT). The mass expenditure is minimized at a limited time of flight. The optimal control problem is solved based on the maximum principle. The boundary value problem of the maximum principle is solved numerically using the shooting method. A modified computation scheme of the shooting method is suggested (multi-point shooting), as well as a method (correlated with the scheme) of choosing the initial approximation with the use of a solution to the optimization problem in the impulse formulation. The scheme and method allow one to construct many-revolution spacecraft orbit transfers.     

月球探测器直接软着陆最优轨道设计

研究月球探测器直接软着陆最优轨道的设计问题。首先根据探测器直接软着陆的特点，提出了有限推力最省燃料的最优轨道设计问题；然后利用有限推力月面软着陆的最优推力控制方向的计算公式，研究了边值条件和计算方法；最后通过直接软着陆最优轨道的算例及结果分析，发现开始制动高度越低越省能量；推力方向可变时比不可变时节省能量；推力大小可变相当于采用了多级制动，对安全定点着陆非常有利。     

Electric transfer optimization for mars sample return mission

The aim of this paper is to analyse an alternative scenario for Mars Sample Return Orbiter mission, where electric propulsion is used for Earth-Mars and Mars-Earth heliocentric cruises and for Mars orbit insertion / escape transfers, whereas chemical propulsion is used for final Mars rendezvous. The problem consists in minimizing the initial vehicle mass to obtain a specific final dry mass in reasonable time. The planetocentric phases correspond to continuous low-thrust trajectories, spiraling around Mars between a low orbit and the influence sphere altitude. The heliocentric phases consist of a succession of low-thrust and coasting arcs with specific departure and arrival conditions at the Earth. For these two types of transfer, efficient optimal control tools exist based on Pontryagin's maximum principle. Thanks to the coordination between planetocentric and heliocentric phases, the solution obtained with these two separate tools gives a good upper bound of the optimal solution in terms of propellant consumption and duration. This optimization procedure is described and finally applied to the proposed mission. The numerical results are presented and compared with the baseline chemical mission solution. The electric option could allow to decrease the spacecraft departure mass but may lead to rather long mission duration.     

能量最优的航天器连续动态避障轨迹规划

针对传统脉冲避障算法在航天器轨迹规划应用中存在对瞬时推力依赖性强且燃料消耗量大的问题,提出能量最优的连续动态避障算法。该算法首先基于线性相对运动方程与有限时间的能量最优模型,建立了相对运动能量最优模型,同时验证了模型最优性;其次将动态障碍物的 y 向运动误差偏移与正态分布概率引入避碰安全距离模型,修正了追踪航天器动态避障的范围,确定了安全距离矢量长度,增强了规避障碍的可靠性;最后通过障碍物速度矢量与追踪器航天器速度矢量夹角确定动态避障点方向,减少燃料消耗的同时提高了避障的有效性、准确性。通过仿真验证,该算法可以自适应选取规避障碍点,有效规避动态障碍;工质燃料消耗较小,有效延长航天器在轨寿命。     

基于追逃博弈的非合作目标接近控制

针对追踪航天器接近非合作目标任务中的相对位置控制问题,提出了一种基于线性二次型追逃博弈的控制方法。首先,将非合作目标接近问题转化为二人追逃博弈问题,并设计了二次型目标函数。其次,结合相对运动模型,建立了线性二次型追逃博弈模型。为得到纳什均衡策略,将HJ方程转化为代数黎卡提方程,并给出了李雅普诺夫迭代法对其求解。最后,对博弈控制方法的有效性进行仿真验证,结果表明,该方法能够在非合作目标机动时实现轨道接近控制。     

Optimisation non-linéaire de l'ensemble attitude-gain de vitesse d'un véhicule spatial monotuyere

In the standard control design of powered spacecraft, guidance and attitude control are two independent problems which are attacked separately. As an example of joint guidance and attitude control synthesis, this communication presents the solution to the planar, minimum-time, optimal control problem of a powered spacecraft. The control is determined by a numerical technique based upon the maximum principle. The results provide a display of the various possible maneuver shapes and then provide a guide for a practical definition of closed-loop control laws.     

Algorithms for the transport spacecraft descending stage lateral motion control

This report deals with the problems of synthesizing algorithms for controlling the attitude manoeuver of a transport spacecraft aimed at injecting the spacecraft into a closed terminal domain of “heading-range” phase coordinates which makes it possible to descend to the landing aerodrome region in accordance with a spiral trajectory tracking pattern. The descent trajectory is controlled by changing the roll angle. The principal distinguishing feature of the suggested method of transport spacecraft lateral motion control resides in guiding the spacecraft to a terminal curve and in providing an automatic transfer from roll control to interacting control of roll angle and angle of attack. The performance of the control algorithm under transient conditions are considered in detail.Algorithms controlling the longitudinal range by varing the magnitude of the roll angle and lateral range by selecting the respective sign of the roll control angle are thereafter synthesized separately. The major problem in designing the angular motion control system of transport spacecraft is the development of a high-rate roll axis turn control algorithm. To ensure high accuracy of lateral manoeuvering of the spacecraft it is expedient to accomplish the spacecraft reorientation in roll in a minimum time. It is therewith necessary to take into account with the sideslip angle limitation associated with the need of complying the design conditions of the spacecraft flowaround and with the spacecraft skin selected temperature conditions. It is expected that the total side slip angle is acceptable for measurement. Within the greater portion of the descent trajectory constant-thrust jet-reaction control engines are employed as actuators. Therefore, together with the high speed of response developed control algorithm provides an adequate efficiency of the system from the viewpoint of fuel consumption. The possibilities offered by the suggested algorithms controlling the lateral motions of the center of masses and around the center of masses during the descent stage and in the course of landing approach manoeuvering are illustrated by an example considering a hypothetical transport spacecraft featuring variable aerodynamics and a low frequency of natural oscillations of the angular motion loop. The suggested algorithms make it possible to fully employ the transport spacecraft maneuverability and to meet the terminal heading and velocity requirements within a wide class of disturbances.