Fixed-Time Attitude Tracking Control for Rigid Spacecraft Without Angular Velocity Measurements

Abstract

This article considers the problem of velocity-free fixed-time attitude tracking control for rigid spacecraft. With the help of the homogeneity theorem, a semiglobal observer is introduced to estimate the unmeasured angular velocities within fixed time. Then, a velocity-free attitude tracking controller is designed to make the spacecraft attitude track a time-varying reference signal in finite time, which can be up bounded by a fixed number regardless of the initial conditions. Finally, numerical examples are provided to illustrate the efficiency of the present control scheme.