Command-filtered incremental backstepping attitude control of spacecraft with predefined-time stability

This paper investigates the predefined-time attitude tracking control problem within the theoretical framework of incremental dynamic inversion. The utilization of the Taylor series facilitates the transformation of the attitude control system into a discrete-time plant, with the control input expressed in an incremental form. Additionally, a novel predefined-time stable dynamics system is presented and incorporated into the disturbance observer designing process, serving the purpose of estimating lumped disturbance. It is also employed in a command filter design to approximate the derivatives of the virtual control law within a predefined time. Consequently, an incremental backstepping attitude tracking control scheme is further developed, integrating the proposed predefined-time disturbance observer to ensure the system's robustness and the predefined-time filter to address challenges related to “term explosion” and singularity problem. Rigorous Lyapunov analysis affirms that the attitude control system, when using the incremental backstepping controller, remains predefined-time stable. The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is subsequently validated through numerical simulations.