Coupled Orbit-Attitude Dynamics and Trajectory Tracking Control for Spacecraft Electromagnetic Docking

Abstract In this paper, the simplified electromagnetic force/torque model and coupled orbit-attitude dynamics modeling in spacecraft electromagnetic docking are investigated, and an improved sliding mode control scheme based on planned trajectory is proposed. In this scenario, the docking two spacecraft are equipped with four energized solenoids with iron cores fixed in the body frame, and small- angle hypothesis is used to derive the simplified electromagnetic force/torque model, based on which the coupled orbit-attitude dynamics equation is established. With trajectory planning of relative orbit and attitude, where the tracking process of coupled orbit-attitude is divided into three successive parts with predefined time using three characteristic time instants, a sliding mode control strategy is proposed to solve the tracking problem. Simulation results illustrate the simplification rationality of electromagnetic force/torque model, and the good tracking performance of coupled orbit-attitude tracking controller at predefined time.