Sharif Digital Repository

A novel trajectory design methodology is proposed in the current work to minimize the state uncertainty in the crucial mission of spacecraft rendezvous. The trajectory is shaped under constraints utilizing a multiple-impulse approach. State uncertainty is characterized in terms of covariance, and the impulse time as the only effective parameter in uncertainty propagation is selected to minimize the trace of the covariance matrix. Furthermore, the impulse location is also adopted as the other design parameter to satisfy various translational constraints of the space mission. Efficiency and viability of the proposed idea have been investigated through some scenarios that include constraints on... 

This paper presents a new robust composite nonlinear feedback control law for accurate, smooth, and fast regulation in the presence of parameter uncertainties, external disturbances, and input saturation for a class of spacecraft rendezvous systems. The novel proposed method consists of the original composite nonlinear feedback part for good transient performance plus a nonlinear disturbance rejection part for reducing the steady-state error stemming from variable disturbances and simultaneously producing feasible control input. The nonlinear disturbance rejection relies on sliding-mode observer for disturbance estimation. Closed-loop system stability has been proved with the Lyapunov... 

This paper presents a new robust composite nonlinear feedback control law for accurate, smooth, and fast regulation in the presence of parameter uncertainties, external disturbances, and input saturation for a class of spacecraft rendezvous systems. The novel proposed method consists of the original composite nonlinear feedback part for good transient performance plus a nonlinear disturbance rejection part for reducing the steady-state error stemming from variable disturbances and simultaneously producing feasible control input. The nonlinear disturbance rejection relies on sliding-mode observer for disturbance estimation. Closed-loop system stability has been proved with the Lyapunov... 

Spacecraft rendezvous and docking are two processes in which a chaser pursues and meets a leader spacecraft in order to perform several mission based tasks. Although in some preliminary design analysis, these two operations may be pursued independently there could be circumstances in which the spacecraft trajectory and attitudes are coupled and interdependent. The present study is based on the presumption that the often independent translational and rotational motions of the spacecraft are coupled as a result of thrust misalignment. So the thrusters not only contribute to the rendezvous translational motion, but also affect the docking reorientation maneuver through their disturbing effects.... 

The present study aims to present a guidance algorithm based on the relative motion prediction for orbital rendezvous, in which a coast phase is allowed between two powered phases. In both powered phases, the solution of the Hill-Clohessy-Wiltshire equations is used to find the required state variables at each time instant. To track the required trajectory and compensate for any orbital perturbations and uncertainties, a non-singular terminal sliding mode method is utilized as the steering law. Then, the finite time convergence of the state variables is mathematically proved. In addition, the starting time of the second powered phase is adapted to perturbations and uncertainties by another...