Hybrid propulsion spacecraft formation control around the planetary displaced orbit

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the feasibility of using the combination of solar radiation pressure and Coulomb force as a propellantless control method for spacecraft formation around the planetary displaced orbit. Firstly, the dynamical equation of spacecraft formation is derived and linearized. Based on the linearized dynamic model, an integral sliding mode controller (ISMC) is designed. Aimed to stabilize the spacecraft formation, the control method is proposed to adjust the product of the charge and the attitude angles of two spacecrafts. Finally, numerical simulations are conducted and the results show that the controller can make the formation achieve the desired configuration with favorable control performances.