Spacecraft Formation Maneuvering With Virtual-Point MPC Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spacecraft maneuvering systems face challenges in maintaining formation while minimizing fuel consumption and computing resources, particularly in scenarios with limited communication bandwidth and computing power, and require efficient trajectory planning to avoid debris and maintain separation distances.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of model predictive control (MPC) with polytope boundaries to determine and maintain guidance trajectories for spacecraft formations, using a virtual point to simplify control calculations and optimize fuel-efficient maneuvers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional spacecraft maneuvering systems are used to maintain formation, then formation integrity can be maintained, but fuel consumption and computational resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
A virtual chief spacecraft is introduced as an intermediary reference point for the formation. Instead of each spacecraft directly maintaining complex relative positions with multiple other spacecraft, all spacecraft reference their positions to this virtual chief, simplifying the control problem and reducing fuel consumption while maintaining formation integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the control problem by changing reference frames and parameters. By using relative orbital elements (ROE) and a virtual chief reference, the complex multi-spacecraft formation keeping problem is converted into simpler individual spacecraft position adjustments relative to the virtual reference, reducing computational and fuel resources needed
2Object-affected harmful factors
If complex trajectory planning is implemented to avoid debris and maintain separation, then safety is improved, but computational burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary trajectory planning and debris avoidance calculations before critical situations arise. By continuously monitoring relative positions and predicting potential conflicts using the simplified virtual chief reference frame, the system can plan avoidance maneuvers in advance with reduced computational requirements rather than reacting to emergencies
Solution Approach 2:
The complex formation control and debris avoidance problem is segmented into independent relative orbital element adjustments. Each spacecraft's position is controlled through separate ROE parameters (radial, along-track, cross-track distances), allowing simplified individual adjustments that collectively achieve safe formation maintaining without requiring complex global optimization
3Manufacturing precision
If frequent maneuvers are performed to maintain precise formation positions, then formation precision is improved, but fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial correction maneuvers only when and where needed to maintain formation precision. By using the virtual chief reference and ROE framework, the system identifies specific relative position deviations and applies targeted partial adjustments rather than frequent full-scale maneuvers, reducing fuel consumption while maintaining required precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges multiple formation-keeping objectives into a unified control approach using the virtual chief spacecraft. By combining radial, along-track, and cross-track position maintenance into a single reference-frame-based control system, the spacecraft can maintain precise formation positions with coordinated maneuvers that are more fuel-efficient than separate independent control actions
Data Source
AI summary
For maneuvering a spacecraft, a method calculates a virtual point that represents a plurality of spacecraft orbiting in a spacecraft formation. The method iteratively calculates a desired trajectory relative to the virtual point for a given spacecraft of the plurality of spacecraft using a relative orbital elements (ROE) state x of the virtual point and the given spacecraft. Model predictive control maintains the given spacecraft within an ROE constraint for a given time interval subject to a fuel consumption. In response to determining a drift trajectory of the given spacecraft is outside of a trajectory tolerance of the desired trajectory, maneuvering the given spacecraft to within the trajectory tolerance using a maneuver trajectory determined using the model predictive control.