Article ID: | iaor2014997 |
Volume: | 94 |
Issue: | 1 |
Start Page Number: | 375 |
End Page Number: | 382 |
Publication Date: | Jan 2014 |
Journal: | Acta Astronautica |
Authors: | Guerman Anna, Ovchinnikov Michael, Smirnov Georgi, Trofimov Sergey |
Keywords: | optimization |
A Newton‐type method is proposed to improve the accuracy of control for relative motion of two satellites in close formation. We assume that the deputy satellite is equipped with a passive attitude control system that provides one‐axis stabilization, and one or two orbit control thrusters are installed along the stabilized axis. Previous studies show that it is possible to construct periodic relative trajectories both in case of passive magnetic and spin stabilization. However, the accuracy of the numerically obtained control is quite low due to modeling errors caused by linearization of the equations of relative motion. Therefore, a correction procedure is required to compensate for nonlinear effects. To this end we suggest a recently developed algorithm based on the Newton method for solving nonlinear systems with geometric constraints. Being implemented, this algorithm allows decreasing the modeling error by up to ten times. The previously found control and trajectory of the linearized system are used as initial approximations.