The distributed attitude synchronization control problem for spacecraft formation flying subject to limited energy and computational resources is addressed based on event-triggered mechanism. Firstly, a event-driven controller designed achieve coordination with the limitation of computing resources. Under proposed strategy, only updated at event triggering instants, which effectively reduces up...

In this paper we present an experimental platform for relative attitude control of spacecraft. The platform is part of the AUVSAT project at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, a project with the goal of creating an underwater experimental laboratory for formation control of underwater vehicles and spacecraft. In the following we present the design and the specifications leading...

This paper describes several tools and technologies that have been developed for future spacecraft formation flying missions. This includes algorithms to perform autonomous navigation and control, with new results presented for trajectory planning in highly elliptic orbits and fault detection for a distributed spacecraft system. The overall approach is embedded in the OA middleware developed by...

This paper investigates the problem of relative spacecraft attitude estimation between three vehicles from a decentralized point of view. Decentralized attitude estimation is achieved through the use of local extended Kalman filters and a data fusion process known as the Covariance Intersection algorithm. Because the global attitude parameterization is the quaternion, the Covariance Intersectio...

We propose a novel control framework for the formation flying of multiple spacecraft. With the passive decomposition, group dynamics of the multiple spacecraft is decomposed into two decoupled dynamics: the shape system representing the internal group formation shape (formation, in short), and the locked system describing the total group maneuver (maneuver, in short). Then, some desired formati...

Formation flying is an enabling technology for many future space missions. This paper presents an MPC controller that uses dynamics based on a modified version of Gauss’ Variational Equations which incorporates osculating J2 effects. A linear parameter-varying version of existing dynamics is developed, creating a highly accurate model that can easily be embedded in the MPC controller design. Th...

Several results on the recon gurable control architecture for the formation ying of multiple spacecraft are presented. In this direction, simple control laws are combined with logic-based switching to propose a hybrid control architecture for leader reassignment, leader-following capturing, and dealing with control saturations.

Cover illustration: Illustration of the viewing geometry for relative spacecraft positioning using differ-enced GPS observations. Contents Acknowledgements ix Important Acronyms xi Summary xiii Samenvatting (Summary in Dutch) xv 1 Introduction 1 1.