Adaptive high order sliding mode control for relative positioning and trajectory tracking of spacecraft formation flying

This paper considers the problem of relative position and trajectory tracking control for spacecraft formation flying. The nonlinear dynamics describing the relative positioning of multiple spacecraft are used to develop a Lyapunov-based, nonlinear, adaptive higher order sliding mode control. The strategy, known as adaptive super twisting sliding mode control law, guarantees convergence to any sufficiently smooth desired spacecraft formation flying trajectory, despite the presence of unknown disturbances. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control.