Dynamical Modeling and Guidance Algorithms for Elliptic Orbit Rendezvous and Impulsive Proximity Maneuvers

Orbital rendezvous represents a cornerstone in space systems engineering, as many critical mission rely on the ability to perform proximity maneuvers; among them are the assembly and maintenance of space stations (e.g. the ISS), crewed missions to the Moon (and, in the future, to Mars and beyond), and in-orbit servicing and active debris removal efforts. This master’s thesis has been conducted within the AOCS Department of OHB and has two main parts. The first will deal with the modeling of the relative orbital dynamics between two spacecraft in elliptic orbits, with a focus on the linearization process and the use of state transition matrix. Different options to describe the relative motion will be presented, such as Cartesian coordinates or Relative Orbital Elements (ROEs). The second part will present several impulsive orbit control maneuvers for proximity operations that can serve as building blocks to devise a general guidance strategy; in addition, examples of how to combine the aforementioned maneuvers will be given, together with a description of safe relative orbits, that are key elements in certain approaches. Lastly, the guidance algorithms will be tested in a simulator, and the results will be discussed.