Spacecraft multiple-pulse hovering method based on state transition matrix

Based on a state transition matrix, a method for spacecraft multiple-pulse hovering was presented. The relative motion dynamics model and the state transition matrix were introduced to describe the relative motion of two spacecraft in circular, elliptical and hyperbolic reference orbits. A method of achieving the orbit-transfer velocity increment for hovering was deduced using the state transition matrix. The numerical simulation shows that the proposed method can achieve spacecraft relative hovering effectively. With the increasing of impulse number, the precision of relative hovering is promoted. Moreover, the precision of relative hovering is influenced by the eccentricity of reference orbit.