Optimal Control Techniques for Spacecraft Attitude Maneuvers

The capability of attitude maneuvers and attitude tracking for spacecrafts is required in the current sophisticated space missions. In short, it is to obtain command requirements and attitude orientation after some form of control. With the development of space missions, the ability of rapid and energy-saved large-angle attitude maneuvers is actively expected. And the high requirements for the attitude control design system are increasingly demanded. Consequently, optimal control for attitude maneuvers has become an important research direction in the aerospace control area. From control aspect, spacecraft attitude maneuvers mainly involve trajectory planning (Guidance), attitude determination (Navigation), and attitude control (Control). Further researches about these three key technologies are necessary to achieve optimal control for attitude maneuvers. In this chapter, the necessary background on optimal control for attitude maneuvers of three-axis stabilized spacecraft is provided, and the recent work about guidance and navigation as well as control is summarized, which is presented from three parts as follows: 1. The optimal trajectory planning method for minimal energy maneuvering control problem (MEMCP) of a rigid spacecraft; 2. Attitude determination algorithm based on the improved gyro-drift model; 3. Attitude control of three-axis stabilized spacecraft with momentum wheel system.