Sliding mode control of electromagnetic tethered satellite formation

This paper investigates the control of tethered satellite formation actuated by electromagnetic dipoles and reaction wheels using the robust sliding mode control technique. Generating electromagnetic forces and moments by electric current coils provides an attractive control actuation alternative for tethered satellite system due to the advantages of no propellant consumption and no obligatory rotational motion. Based on a dumbbell model of tethered satellite in which the flexibility and mass of the tether is neglected, the equations of motion in Cartesian coordinate are derived. In this model, the J2 perturbation is taken into account. The far-field and mid-field models of electromagnetic forces and moments of two satellites on each other and the effect of the Earth’s magnetic field are presented. A robust sliding mode controller is designed for precise trajectory tracking purposes and to deal with the electromagnetic force and moment uncertainties and external disturbances due to the Earth’s gravitational and magnetic fields inaccuracy. Numerical simulation results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the developed controller and its superiority over the linear controller.