Energy-optimal spacecraft attitude maneuver path-planning under complex constraints

Abstract

Abstract The objective of this study is an energy-optimal attitude maneuver path for rigid body spacecraft under complex constraints. Complex attitude constraints are first established; the attitude pointing constraints are written in non-convex quadratic form. The constrained attitude maneuver problem is then formulated as the non-convex quadratically constrained quadratic programming problem which targets the minimal energy-cost. An improved differential evolution algorithm is then built which utilizes the standard DE algorithm from the F value of the mutation operator and the crossover operator CR value to enhance the mutation strategy and ultimately obtain a near-optimized solution to the problem. Simulation results show that this method not only satisfies the complex attitude constraints, but also reveals the optimal path for global attitude optimization. It also consumes relatively little energy with remarkable efficiency.