New Approach to Satellite Formation-Keeping: Exact Solution to the Full Nonlinear Problem
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 22, Issue 4
Abstract
This paper presents a new, simple, and exact solution to the formation keeping of satellites when the relative distance between the satellites is so large that the linearized relative equations of motion no longer hold. We employ a recently proposed approach, the Udwadia-Kalaba approach, which makes it possible to explicitly obtain the desired control function without making any approximations related to the nonlinearities in the underlying dynamics. We use an inertial frame of reference to describe the motion of a satellite and since no approximations are made, the results obtained apply to situations even when the distance between the satellites is arbitrarily large. The paper deals with a projected circular formation, but the methodology in this paper can be applied to any desired configuration or orbital requirements. Numerical simulations confirm the brevity and the accuracy of the analytical solution to the dynamical control problem developed herein.
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Published In
Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 22 • Issue 4 • October 2009
Pages: 445 - 455
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 26, 2009
Accepted: Apr 29, 2009
Published online: May 4, 2009
Published in print: Oct 2009
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