Improved sliding mode tracking control for spacecraft electromagnetic separation supporting on-orbit assembly

This paper addresses the electromagnetic separation problem for mass-unknown spacecraft in elliptical orbits that play a significant role in on-orbit assembly and other future space missions. First, the relative motion dynamics model between the platform (target spacecraft) and module (chaser spacecraft) is presented with the lumped disturbance resulting from external disturbances, elliptical eccentricity and unknown mass, and a compliant reference trajectory is designed by applying the idea of trigonometric-function. Then, an improved sliding mode controller is developed to ensure that the tracking errors of relative motion can converge to near the equilibrium point. In order to avoid adverse impacts, the elliptical eccentricity and unknown mass are fully considered by using the developed control approach, and the global asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system is analyzed by strict theoretical proof. Combined with spacecraft electromagnetic docking technology, the electromagnetic separation scheme can make on-orbit assembly easy to achieve with certain advantages, e.g., it doesn't consume propellant and thus doesn't cause plume contamination, and has reversible, continuous and noncontact characteristics. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the developed control approach. (c) 2024 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.