Spacecraft Formation with J2 Perturbation via Real-Time Probabilistic Swarm Guidance Framework

• Published in: IEEE transactions on aerospace and electronic systems pp. 1 - 18
• Main Authors: Jin, Weicheng, Chen, Ti, Hu, Haiyan, Wang, Lifeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 03.07.2025
• Subjects: Aerodynamics; Force; Heuristic algorithms; Mathematical models; Perturbation methods; Probabilistic logic; Real-time systems; Shape; Space vehicles; Trajectory
• ISSN: 0018-9251
• DOI: 10.1109/TAES.2025.3585904

This paper deals with the shape formation for a spacecraft swarm subject to J 2 perturbation. To solve this control problem, the paper presents a real-time probabilistic swarm guidance framework. Its top-level strategy based on the absorbing Markov chain theory is free of target assignment and is reconfigurable, scalable and robust to some faults. Moreover, the nonlinear drift force induced by J 2 perturbation is taken into account in the trajectory generation algorithm through the improved dynamical feasibility penalty function. Because the gradients of the improved penalty function can be derived analytically, the desired trajectory is obtained by solving an unconstrained optimization problem. Its bottom-level controller is implemented by the model predictive control algorithm to track the desired trajectory. With limited information exchange, the spacecraft formation problem subject to J 2 perturbation is solved in real time by different levels of algorithm running simultaneously. Finally, numerical examples and experimental results illustrate the efficacy of the improved dynamical feasibility penalty function and the proposed framework.