Distributed and cooperative quaternion-based attitude synchronization and tracking control for a network of heterogeneous spacecraft formation flying mission

Abstract

Distributed control strategies for the attitude synchronization and set-point tracking control of multiple heterogeneous spacecraft (SC) in a formation flying mission are proposed in this work. The first scheme requires feedback and exchange of angular velocity measurements among the SC in the formation. However, the second scheme does not require measurement and exchange of angular velocities (or their estimates) among the SC in the formation. We have employed unit-quaternion, which is a singularity free attitude representation, to describe the SC attitude so that large attitude maneuvers can be executed. We have also developed two constrained control schemes for attitude synchronization and set-point tracking control for (i) a single SC with and without angular velocity feedback, and (ii) SC formation flying with and without angular velocity feedback. A number of simulation case studies are provided to demonstrate the advantages and benefits of our proposed algorithms as compared to the available results in the literature.