Preliminary Results on Waypoint Tracking for Spacecraft with Actuator Constraints

Abstract

This paper presents preliminary results on how to perform waypoint tracking with spacecraft with actuator constraints. It considers a simplified spacecraft model and can be considered a deep space model, and shows how to perform waypoint tracking with only one main thruster together with full attitude control. As the spacecraft reaches close to the waypoint during a deceleration phase that makes the speed go towards zero, reaction control thrusters are used to make the remaining velocity error go to zero achieving the control objective.