Control of flexible spacecraft using nonlinear approximation of input shape dependence on reorientation maneuver parameters

Abstract

This paper presents a design of a novel advanced feedforward controller for a large-angle reorientation maneuver of a spacecraft with flexible appendages, such as a telecommunication satellite. The controller is capable of fast computation of an optimal feedforward input shape for a nonlinear flexible system. This is achieved through radial basis function (RBF) network approximation of the feedforward dependence on the maneuver parameters. The paper describes a flexible spacecraft testbed and studies, the application of the controller to the testbed control. It presents a few insights into the design, and performance analysis of the RBF network approximation. The designed controller is demonstrated to combine excellent performance in the compensation of residual flexible vibrations for the nonlinear system under consideration, as well as computational simplicity.