Related papers: Fuel-Optimal Rendezvous in a Central Force Field w…
This work introduces a linearized analytical model for the study of the dynamic of satellites in near circular orbits under the effects of the atmospheric drag. This includes the evaluation of the station keeping required for each satellite…
Aerodynamic collision avoidance manoeuvres provide an opportunity for satellites in Low Earth Orbits to reduce the risk during close encounters. With rising numbers of satellites and objects in orbit, satellites experience close encounters…
The multiple spacecraft guidance problem for proximity flight in libration point orbit is considered. A nonlinear optimal control problem with continuous-time path constraints enforcing minimum separation between each spacecraft is…
Trajectory optimization of low-thrust perturbed orbit rendezvous is a crucial technology for space missions in low Earth orbits, which is difficult to solve due to its initial value sensitivity, especially when the transfer trajectory has…
This study presents autonomous guidance and control strategies for the purpose of reconfiguring close-range multi-satellite formations. The formation under consideration includes $N$ under-actuated deputy satellites and an uncontrolled…
A technique by which a spacecraft can interact with flows of ionized gas in space (the solar wind or interstellar medium) to be accelerated to velocities greater than the wind velocity is explored. Inspired by the dynamic soaring maneuvers…
In this paper, we consider a trajectory planning problem arising from a lunar vertical landing with minimum fuel consumption. The vertical landing requirement is written as a final steering angle constraint, and a nonnegative regularization…
Spacecraft rendezvous enables on-orbit servicing, debris removal, and crewed docking, forming the foundation for a scalable space economy. Designing such missions requires rapid exploration of the tradespace between control cost and flight…
Achieving relativistic flight to enable extrasolar exploration is one of the dreams of humanity and the long term goal of our NASA Starlight program. We derive a fully relativistic solution for the motion of a spacecraft propelled by…
Interstellar transport is an object of interest in many sci-fi stories. In history a lot of sci-fi predictions have turned into reality, such as communications satellites, deep-sea submarines and journies to the moon. In this work we study…
Fixed-wind unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are essential for low cost aerial surveillance and mapping applications in remote regions. One of the main limitations of UAVs is limited fuel capacity and hence requires periodic refueling to…
This work presents a novel algorithm for impulsive optimal control of linear time-varying systems with the inclusion of input magnitude constraints. Impulsive optimal control problems, where the optimal input solution is a sum of delta…
The general objective of this Ph.D. thesis is to study the dynamics and control of rigid and flexible spacecraft supported by a high-fidelity numerical simulation environment. The demand for greater attitude pointing precision, attitude…
Spacecraft relative motion planning is concerned with the design and execution of maneuvers relative to a nominal target. These types of maneuvers are frequently utilized in missions such as rendezvous and docking, satellite inspection and…
This paper proposes a linear approximation of the alternating current optimal power flow problem for multiphase distribution networks with voltage-dependent loads connected in both wye and delta configurations. We establish a set of linear…
Optimal control problems with discrete-valued inputs are inherently challenging due to their mixed-integer nature, rendering them generally intractable for real-time, safety-critical aerospace applications. Lossless convexification offers a…
An analytical formulation for collision avoidance maneuvers involving a spacecraft and a space debris is presented, including solutions for the maximum deviation and minimum collision probability cases. Gauss' planetary equations and…
First, this chapter introduces the expressions for the electric and magnetic space-charge internal fields and forces induced by high-intensity beams. Then, the root-mean-square equation with space charge is derived and discussed. In the…
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…
This article presents a feedback control algorithm for electromagnetic formation flying with constraints on the satellites' states and control inputs. The algorithm combines several key techniques. First, we use alternating magnetic field…