Quaternion Based Attitude Control and Suboptimal Rendezvous Guidance on Satellite Proximity Operation

This paper introduces a suboptimal rendezvous guidance method and a quaternion based attitude control law for satellite proximity operation. A dynamic model of relative motion between two satellites is expressed as a linear dynamic model, called the Clohessy-Wiltshire equation, while the satellite's attitude is governed by the rigid body kinematic. A solution of a linear quadratic control problem is obtainable with a system of algebraic equations. This paper proposes a suboptimal rendezvous guidance law based on the LQC and a quaternion based attitude controller to comply the suboptimal command. Several cases of simulation is conducted to prove that proposed method can meet the terminal condition on the desired time, and attitude control logic is well functioning to comply the guidance command.