Close-range maneuver planning for uncontrolled rendezvous with multiple elliptical orbit targets based on genetic algorithm

Abstract

Abstract On-orbit debris removal is an important and challenging problem in space engineering. A low-cost method for this problem is to use uncontrolled rendezvous with a sub-spacecraft released by a service spacecraft. The sub-spacecraft do not carry any control system and are designed to rendezvous with the target debris to remove it. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the mission planning. First, we analyze and dynamically model the uncontrolled rendezvous process for elliptical orbit targets, and study various aspects such as maneuver, sub-spacecraft release parameter solution, and rendezvous accuracy estimation. Then, we use NSGA-II, a multi-objective optimization genetic algorithm, to establish the mission planning model, focusing on the design of decision variables, constraints and fitness functions. Finally, we apply our proposed method to two specific cases of Molniya orbit, and verify the effectiveness of the planning model. We also conduct a deep analysis of the planning results, and summarize the commonalities and differences of various effective strategies.