Orbital maneuvers via feedback linearization and bang-bang control

Spacecraft orbital maneuver problems are treated using feedback linearization and sliding mode control, The nonlinear dynamic system representing the two-body system of a spacecraft and primary gravitational source is transformed into a linear controllable one by feedback linearization, then thrust-coast-thrust type control laws are found by using optimal linear tracking and time-varying Riccati equations. Bang-bang type control laws for orbital maneuvers of spacecraft are obtained by using a sliding mode control scheme. Special two-body orbits, obtained by solving Lambert's problem in which impulsive changes in velocity are assumed possible for each orbital maneuver problem, are used as desired trajectories. However, initial and final control efforts are bounded in magnitude. This approach quickly produces very reasonable results in terms of total Delta V that are close to the impulsive solutions to these two-point boundary-value problems.