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Recent investments in cislunar applications open new frontiers for space missions within highly nonlinear dynamical regimes. In this paper, we propose a method based on Sequential Convex Programming (SCP) to loiter around a given target…
Recent studies of optimization methods and GNC of spacecraft near small bodies focusing on descent, landing, rendezvous, etc., with key safety constraints such as line-of-sight conic zones and soft landings have shown promising results;…
This paper investigates the infinite horizon optimal control problem (OCP) for space applications characterized by nonlinear dynamics. The proposed approach divides the problem into a finite horizon OCP with a regularized terminal cost,…
In this paper we present a fast method based on successive convexification for generating fuel-optimized spacecraft rendezvous trajectories in the presence of mixed-integer constraints. A recently developed paradigm of state-triggered…
This paper addresses an optimal control problem for a robot that has to find and collect a finite number of objects and move them to a depot in minimum time. The robot has fourth-order dynamics that change instantaneously at any pick-up or…
This paper introduces a landing guidance strategy for reusable launch vehicles (RLVs) using a model predictive approach based on sequential convex programming (SCP). The proposed approach devises two distinct optimal control problems…
Spacecraft and drones aimed at exploring our solar system are designed to operate in conditions where the smart use of onboard resources is vital to the success or failure of the mission. Sensorimotor actions are thus often derived from…
Designing robust trajectories under uncertainties is an emerging technology that may represent a key paradigm shift in space mission design. As we pursue more ambitious scientific goals (e.g., multi-moon tours, missions with extensive…
This paper delves into a rendezvous scenario involving a chaser and a target spacecraft, focusing on the application of Model Predictive Control (MPC) to design a controller capable of guiding the chaser toward the target. The operational…
Future multi-spacecraft missions require robust autonomous trajectory optimization capabilities to ensure safe and efficient rendezvous operations. This capability hinges on solving non-convex optimal control problems in real-time, although…
We present an optimization-based approach for fuel-efficient spacecraft rendezvous to the Gateway, a space station that will be deployed on a near rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) around the Moon. The approach: i) ensures passive safety and…
Inspired by the recent 11th Global Trajectory Optimisation Competition, this paper presents the asteroid routing problem (ARP) as a realistic benchmark of algorithms for expensive bound-constrained black-box optimization in permutation…
We present the solution approach developed by the team `TheAntipodes' during the 12th edition of the Global Trajectory Optimization Competition (GTOC 12). An overview of the approach is as follows: (1) generate asteroid subsets, (2) chain…
A control optimization approach is presented for a chaser spacecraft tasked with maintaining proximity to a target space object while avoiding collisions. The target object trajectory is provided numerically to account for both passive…
Sequential Convex Programming (SCP) has recently seen a surge of interest as a tool for trajectory optimization. However, most available methods lack rigorous performance guarantees and they are often tailored to specific optimal control…
In this paper, the trajectory planning problem for autonomous rendezvous and docking between a controlled spacecraft and a tumbling target is addressed. The use of a variable planning horizon is proposed in order to construct an appropriate…
Controlling spacecraft near asteroids in deep space comes with many challenges. The delays involved necessitate heavy usage of limited onboard computation resources while fuel efficiency remains a priority to support the long loiter times…
This paper presents a novel synthesis method for designing an optimal and robust guidance law for a non-throttleable upper stage of a launch vehicle, using a convex approach. In the unperturbed scenario, a combination of lossless and…
In this study, a single autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) aims to rendezvous with a submerged leader recovery vehicle through a cluttered and variable operating field. The rendezvous problem is transformed into a nonlinear optimal control…
This paper proposes an optimization-based approach to predict trajectories of autonomous race cars. We assume that the observed trajectory is the result of an optimization problem that trades off path progress against acceleration and jerk…