The problem of formation control of multiple spacecraft using the virtual structure approach is studied. The thesis first summarizes the progress made in the area of spacecraft formation control and then provides an overview of the virtual structure method. Modifying earlier established control design techniques, new feedback laws are constructed to control both the rotational and translational motion of a group of spacecraft. Several computer simulations are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the modified control laws. The ephemeris and attitude data files generated via Matlab are exported to Satellite Tool Kit (STK) to create 3D animations. Various formation scenarios are modeled and the formation control strategies studied in this thesis are applied for switching from one formation scenario to another.
","abstract_html":"<p>The problem of formation control of multiple spacecraft using the virtual structure approach is studied. The thesis first summarizes the progress made in the area of spacecraft formation control and then provides an overview of the virtual structure method. Modifying earlier established control design techniques, new feedback laws are constructed to control both the rotational and translational motion of a group of spacecraft. Several computer simulations are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the modified control laws. The ephemeris and attitude data files generated via Matlab are exported to Satellite Tool Kit (STK) to create 3D animations. Various formation scenarios are modeled and the formation control strategies studied in this thesis are applied for switching from one formation scenario to another.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Donepudi, Pavan"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Space Science","degree_level":"Thesis - Open Access","degree_discipline":"Physical Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Mahmut Reyhanoglu","Bereket Berhane","Jason Aufdenberg"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2007,"date_issued":"2007-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2007-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:37Z","subjects":["control system","spacecraft","formation","Aerospace Engineering","Navigation, Guidance, Control and Dynamics","Space Vehicles"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/46","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Mahmut Reyhanoglu","Bereket Berhane","Jason Aufdenberg"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Donepudi, Pavan"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Physical Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Space Science"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["control system","spacecraft","formation","Aerospace Engineering","Navigation, Guidance, Control and Dynamics","Space Vehicles"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/46"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The problem of formation control of multiple spacecraft using the virtual structure approach is studied. The thesis first summarizes the progress made in the area of spacecraft formation control and then provides an overview of the virtual structure method. Modifying earlier established control design techniques, new feedback laws are constructed to control both the rotational and translational motion of a group of spacecraft. Several computer simulations are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the modified control laws. The ephemeris and attitude data files generated via Matlab are exported to Satellite Tool Kit (STK) to create 3D animations. Various formation scenarios are modeled and the formation control strategies studied in this thesis are applied for switching from one formation scenario to another.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Control System Design and Simulation of Spacecraft Formations via Virtual Formation Approach"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Mahmut Reyhanoglu","Bereket Berhane","Jason Aufdenberg"],"dc:creator":["Donepudi, Pavan"],"dc:description.abstract":["The problem of formation control of multiple spacecraft using the virtual structure approach is studied. The thesis first summarizes the progress made in the area of spacecraft formation control and then provides an overview of the virtual structure method. Modifying earlier established control design techniques, new feedback laws are constructed to control both the rotational and translational motion of a group of spacecraft. Several computer simulations are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the modified control laws. The ephemeris and attitude data files generated via Matlab are exported to Satellite Tool Kit (STK) to create 3D animations. Various formation scenarios are modeled and the formation control strategies studied in this thesis are applied for switching from one formation scenario to another.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.erau.edu/db-theses/46"],"dc:subject":["control system","spacecraft","formation","Aerospace Engineering","Navigation, Guidance, Control and Dynamics","Space Vehicles"],"dc:title":["Control System Design and Simulation of Spacecraft Formations via Virtual Formation Approach"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Physical Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Space Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:37Z"}