Orbital rendezvous using two-step sliding mode control

Abstract

The problem of spacecraft rendezvous is studied, using sliding mode control in the presence of the earth's gravitational perturbation. The impulsive solution of Lambert's problem is obtained using the combined equations method to minimize total ΔV via an iterative method, and it is used as the desired trajectory for the rendezvous. In this paper, a two-step sliding mode control method is introduced for solving the rendezvous problem with finite-thrust including unmodeled dynamics. The thrust-coast-thrust type control laws for the system to follow the desired trajectories are represented and resultant trajectories are close enough to the Lambert's orbit with comparable amount of ΔV to the Lambert's impulsive solution. All state variables matched the final boundary conditions reasonably well at the end of maneuver.