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Explicit model predictive control approach for low-thrust spacecraft proximity operations

Explicit model predictive control approach for low-thrust spacecraft proximity operations
Explicit model predictive control approach for low-thrust spacecraft proximity operations
The critical role of autonomous systems in future space missions has made model predictive control a very attractive control design method. However, the capability of low-power spacecraft processors to handle the real-time computational load that this method of design can generate still needs to be fully established, especially for highly constrained problems. This paper develops a method to improve the computational efficiency of model predictive control when applied to the problem of autonomous rendezvous and proximity maneuvering using low-thrust propulsion. To ensure safe trajectories in this scenario, a long control horizon is required and the problem must be solved at a relatively fast sampling rate. The new design in this paper addresses such requirements by parameterizing the thrust profile using a set of Laguerre functions, which allows consideration of a long control horizon using a limited number of optimization variables. By exploiting this property in combination with multi-parametric programming techniques, an explicit control law design is developed that is suitable for implementation on simple hardware. The performance of this approach is demonstrated on a small spacecraft mission and compared with that of other control techniques.
0731-5090
1780-1789
Leomanni, M.
aa1d798c-d941-4810-bdfd-714660c0e110
Rogers, E.
611b1de0-c505-472e-a03f-c5294c63bb72
Gabriel, S.B.
ac76976d-74fd-40a0-808d-c9f68a38f259
Leomanni, M.
aa1d798c-d941-4810-bdfd-714660c0e110
Rogers, E.
611b1de0-c505-472e-a03f-c5294c63bb72
Gabriel, S.B.
ac76976d-74fd-40a0-808d-c9f68a38f259

Leomanni, M., Rogers, E. and Gabriel, S.B. (2014) Explicit model predictive control approach for low-thrust spacecraft proximity operations. Journal of Guidance Control and Dynamics, 37 (6), 1780-1789.

Record type: Article

Abstract

The critical role of autonomous systems in future space missions has made model predictive control a very attractive control design method. However, the capability of low-power spacecraft processors to handle the real-time computational load that this method of design can generate still needs to be fully established, especially for highly constrained problems. This paper develops a method to improve the computational efficiency of model predictive control when applied to the problem of autonomous rendezvous and proximity maneuvering using low-thrust propulsion. To ensure safe trajectories in this scenario, a long control horizon is required and the problem must be solved at a relatively fast sampling rate. The new design in this paper addresses such requirements by parameterizing the thrust profile using a set of Laguerre functions, which allows consideration of a long control horizon using a limited number of optimization variables. By exploiting this property in combination with multi-parametric programming techniques, an explicit control law design is developed that is suitable for implementation on simple hardware. The performance of this approach is demonstrated on a small spacecraft mission and compared with that of other control techniques.

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Published date: December 2014
Organisations: Southampton Wireless Group

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 365244
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/365244
ISSN: 0731-5090
PURE UUID: 633f5b13-f523-46bf-80a4-78c937d526b7
ORCID for E. Rogers: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0179-9398

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Date deposited: 27 May 2014 18:00
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:42

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Contributors

Author: M. Leomanni
Author: E. Rogers ORCID iD
Author: S.B. Gabriel

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