Parameter Uncertainty Analysis in Precise Pointing Control of Flexible Spacecraft

Parameter Uncertainty Analysis in Precise Pointing Control of Flexible Spacecraft

Bezsilla, János (Computer and Automation Research Institute Hungarian Academy of Sciences; Student TU Delft)
Takarics, Bela (Computer and Automation Research Institute Hungarian Academy of Sciences)
Vanek, Bálint (Computer and Automation Research Institute Hungarian Academy of Sciences)
Guo, J. (TU Delft Space Systems Egineering)

2022

This article focuses on the validation of a classical PID controller scheme for flexible spacecraft with regards to the effect of parameter uncertainty on system stability and pointing precision. A high-fidelity simulation environment with external disturbances was built in Simulink using a control-oriented model of an Earth-observing satellite with a flexible appendage and on-board microvibration sources in orbit around the planet. Then, a PID control loop was designed with sensor dynamics, time delay behaviour, and a smooth trajectory generator. After declaring the natural frequencies, damping ratio, and rotation angle of the appendage, as well as the propellant tank mass to be uncertain, two worst-case scenarios were identified. Comparing the response of worst-case systems with nominal settings, only a minor drop has been found in the phase margins, with little to no difference in the pointing errors (smaller than ±2 arcsec for both roll and pitch).

attitude tracking
flexible spacecraft
nonlinear dynamics
parameter uncertainty
PID control
precise pointing control

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:bbab333b-ddef-483b-80ce-bc7d8143a01d

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2022.09.102

1474-6670

IFAC-PapersOnLine, 55 (20), 241-246

10th Vienna International Conference on Mathematical Modelling, MATHMOD 2022, 2022-07-27 → 2022-07-29, Vienna, Austria

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2022 János Bezsilla, Bela Takarics, Bálint Vanek, J. Guo