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arXiv · 2107.07254

Variable-Horizon Guidance for Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking to a Tumbling Target

Mirko Leomanni·Renato Quartullo·Gianni Bianchini·Andrea Garulli·Antonio Giannitrapani
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Abstract

In this paper, the trajectory planning problem for autonomous rendezvous and docking between a controlled spacecraft and a tumbling target is addressed. The use of a variable planning horizon is proposed in order to construct an appropriate maneuver plan, within an optimization-based framework. The involved optimization problem is nonconvex and features nonlinear constraints. The main contribution is to show that such problem can be tackled effectively by solving a finite number of linear programs. To this aim, a specifically conceived horizon search algorithm is employed in combination with a polytopic constraint approximation technique. The resulting guidance scheme provides the ability to identify favourable docking configurations, by exploiting the time-varying nature of the optimization problem endpoint. Simulation results involving the capture of the nonoperational EnviSat spacecraft indicate that the method is able to generate optimal trajectories at a fraction of the computational cost incurred by a state-of-the-art nonlinear solver.

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Mirko Leomanni, Renato Quartullo, Gianni Bianchini, Andrea Garulli, Antonio Giannitrapani. 2021-07-15. Variable-Horizon Guidance for Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking to a Tumbling Target. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.g006340

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