Flying robots fast circumnavigation trajectory design and guidance

Flying robots have a crucial role in future on-orbit servicing and operation tasks. Fast circumnavigation is an enabling technology for future flying robots on-orbit servicing and operations. In this paper a state transition matrix is introduced, which could be applied to the cases of a target satellite in circular orbit or in elliptical orbit. The state transition matrix is further used to develop the trajectory design and guidance algorithms for enter-into circumnavigation, fast circumnavigation and exit circumnavigation based on multiple-impulse maneuver method. Finally the relationships between some circumnavigation parameters and incremental velocity required for fast circumnavigation are analyzed. Simulation works are carried out and the results indicate the proposed methodology of trajectory design and guidance for flying robots fast circumnavigation can be used for coplanar or noncoplanar trajectory design and guidance with a target spacecraft in circular or elliptical orbit.