Robust decentralized attitude control of spacecraft formations under time-varying topologies, model uncertainties and disturbances

This paper investigates the robust decentralized attitude control problem for spacecraft formations under uncertain communication topologies. Based on modified Rodrigues parameters representation and a Lagrange-like model, a class of decentralized attitude control schemes designed by the use of sliding mode control approach is proposed to steer the attitude of the spacecraft formation to a time-varying reference states with no assumption on the information exchange graph. By taking into account the model uncertainties and external disturbances simultaneously, the proposed robust control strategies are proven effective to overcome these unexpected phenomena. Finally, numerical examples are included to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the developed control schemes.

► This paper solves the attitude control problem for spacecraft formation. ► The control schemes are effective with uncertain communication graph. ► The control schemes are robust against parameter uncertainties and disturbances. ► Finite-time convergence of the system states can be guaranteed.