A computationally efficient model predictive control scheme for space debris rendezvous

Alexander Korsfeldt Larsén, Yutao Chen, Mattia Bruschetta, Ruggero Carli, Angelo Cenedese, Damiano Varagnolo, Leonard Felicetti

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

We propose a non-linear model predictive scheme for planning fuel efficient maneuvers of small spacecrafts that shall rendezvous space debris. The paper addresses the specific issues of potential limited on-board computational capabilities and low-thrust actuators in the chasing spacecraft, and solves them by using a novel MatLab-based toolbox for real-time non-linear model predictive control (MPC) called MATMPC. This tool computes the MPC rendezvous maneuvering solution in a numerically efficient way, and this allows to greatly extend the prediction horizon length. This implies that the overall MPC scheme can compute solutions that account for the long time-scales that usually characterize the low-thrust rendezvous maneuvers. The so-developed controller is then tested in a realistic scenario that includes all the near-Earth environmental disturbances. We thus show, through numerical simulations, that this MPC method can successfully be used to perform a fuel-efficient rendezvous maneuver with an uncontrolled object, plus evaluate performance indexes such as mission duration, fuel consumption, and robustness against sensor and process noises.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)103-110
Number of pages8
JournalIFAC-PapersOnLine
Volume52
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

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Space debris
Model predictive control
Spacecraft
Fuel consumption
Actuators
Earth (planet)
Planning
Controllers
Sensors
Computer simulation

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Larsén, A. K., Chen, Y., Bruschetta, M., Carli, R., Cenedese, A., Varagnolo, D., & Felicetti, L. (2019). A computationally efficient model predictive control scheme for space debris rendezvous. IFAC-PapersOnLine, 52(12), 103-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2019.11.077
Larsén, Alexander Korsfeldt ; Chen, Yutao ; Bruschetta, Mattia ; Carli, Ruggero ; Cenedese, Angelo ; Varagnolo, Damiano ; Felicetti, Leonard. / A computationally efficient model predictive control scheme for space debris rendezvous. In: IFAC-PapersOnLine. 2019 ; Vol. 52, No. 12. pp. 103-110.
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Larsén, AK, Chen, Y, Bruschetta, M, Carli, R, Cenedese, A, Varagnolo, D & Felicetti, L 2019, 'A computationally efficient model predictive control scheme for space debris rendezvous', IFAC-PapersOnLine, vol. 52, no. 12, pp. 103-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2019.11.077

A computationally efficient model predictive control scheme for space debris rendezvous. / Larsén, Alexander Korsfeldt; Chen, Yutao; Bruschetta, Mattia; Carli, Ruggero; Cenedese, Angelo; Varagnolo, Damiano; Felicetti, Leonard.

In: IFAC-PapersOnLine, Vol. 52, No. 12, 2019, p. 103-110.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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AU - Varagnolo, Damiano

AU - Felicetti, Leonard

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AB - We propose a non-linear model predictive scheme for planning fuel efficient maneuvers of small spacecrafts that shall rendezvous space debris. The paper addresses the specific issues of potential limited on-board computational capabilities and low-thrust actuators in the chasing spacecraft, and solves them by using a novel MatLab-based toolbox for real-time non-linear model predictive control (MPC) called MATMPC. This tool computes the MPC rendezvous maneuvering solution in a numerically efficient way, and this allows to greatly extend the prediction horizon length. This implies that the overall MPC scheme can compute solutions that account for the long time-scales that usually characterize the low-thrust rendezvous maneuvers. The so-developed controller is then tested in a realistic scenario that includes all the near-Earth environmental disturbances. We thus show, through numerical simulations, that this MPC method can successfully be used to perform a fuel-efficient rendezvous maneuver with an uncontrolled object, plus evaluate performance indexes such as mission duration, fuel consumption, and robustness against sensor and process noises.

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Larsén AK, Chen Y, Bruschetta M, Carli R, Cenedese A, Varagnolo D et al. A computationally efficient model predictive control scheme for space debris rendezvous. IFAC-PapersOnLine. 2019;52(12):103-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2019.11.077

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