Spacecraft attitude tracking control based on differential geometry theory

This paper presents a novel methodology to solve the attitude tracking control problem of a spacecraft system with external disturbances and parameters uncertainties. The new nonlinear control approach is based on differential geometry theory and Active Disturbances Rejection Control (ADRC). For spacecraft attitude tracking error equations, exact linearization for the nonlinear system is realized through output feedback based on Lie derivation. The linearized system is controlled by means of ADRC, which is effective in external disturbances rejection. ADRC in linearized system is then mapped back to original system to obtain the spacecraft attitude tracking control law based on differential geometry theory. In order to overcome the negative effect on the control system caused by parameter uncertainties, this approach is developed using Improved Particle Swarm Optimization (IPSO) algorithm to realize on-line parameters identification. Traditional PSO algorithm is improved using reliability factor to minimum the effect of external disturbances on parameters identification. Numerical simulations are finally given to demonstrate the performance of the proposed methodology.