Control of spacecraft in proximity orbits

Formation flying of spacecraft and autonomous rendezvous and docking of spacecraft are two missions in which satellites operate in close proximity and their relative trajectories are critically important. Both classes of missions rely on accurate dynamics models for fuel minimization and observance of strict constraints for preventing collisions and achieving mission objectives. This thesis presents improvements to spacecraft dynamics modeling, orbit initialization procedures, and failsafe trajectory design that improve the feasibility and chances of success for future proximity operations. This includes the derivation of a new set of relative linearized orbital dynamics incorporating the effects of Earth's oblateness. These dynamics are embedded in a model predictive controller, enabling LP-based MPC formulations for large baseline formations in highly elliptic orbits. An initialization algorithm is developed that uses the new dynamics to optimize multiple objectives (drift and fuel usage minimization, geometry) over science-relevant time frames, improving previous J2-invariant initialization techniques which only considered infinite-horizon secular drift. The trajectory planning algorithm is used to design spacecraft rendezvous paths that observe realistic constraints on thruster usage and approach path.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Breger, Louis Scott, 1979-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Jonathan P. How.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/40390
• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Identifier URI

http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/40390

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/40390