Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2023
Journal Article Version
Accepted Manuscript
First Page
1
Last Page
42
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Abstract
This paper presents a Model Predictive Control (MPC) based control scheme that is used in conjunction with a sphere polytope boundary constraint and the Hill-Clohessey-Whiltshire (HCW) equations to maintain a desired trajectory of a cluster of spacecraft while also allowing freedom to maneuver within the allowable bounds. The operational polytope boundaries enable the predictive framework of the MPC to be used to make small maneuvers to avoid debris or achieve mission objectives. The boundaries are designed such that no two agents have overlapping regions, allowing the vehicles to execute avoidance strategies without continually maintaining the trajectories of other agents. The MPC framework combined with the convex polytope boundary enable a scalable method that can support clusters of satellites to coordinate to safely achieve mission objectives, while minimizing fuel usage. As part of the implementation of this control scheme, this paper compares the fuel cost savings of two spacecraft formation flying control approaches. The first approach uses fewer, large maneuvers to control a spacecraft to the center of a keep-in-volume. The second approach allows the spacecraft to perform many small maneuvers to stay just inside the boundary of the keep-in-volume.
Recommended Citation
Smith, Tyson; Akagi, John; and Droge, Greg, "Model Predictive Control Switching Strategy For Safe Cluster Formation Flying" (2023). Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications. Paper 316.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/sdl_pubs/316