Closed-form Optimal Propulsive-Differential Drag Control for Large Reconfigurations of Spacecraft Swarms
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Distributed Space Systems offer unique capabilities but have significant hardware limitations on computational processing and fuel when employing small satellites. These constraints drive interest in deterministic maneuver planning that incorporates orbital perturbations to improve final state accuracy and decrease reconfiguration delta-v cost. This paper proposes a novel closed-form, provably optimal framework to generate complete roto-translational solutions for propulsive-differential drag control of multiple satellites. The approach leverages relative orbit elements and reachable set theory to characterize all control with a single methodology that can be readily generalized to generic impulsive-continuous control. The algorithm is robust to large reconfigurations and extended control windows where differential drag is most effective.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Hunter, Matthew, D'Amico, Simone
Institution: Stanford University
Language: English
Subfield: Aerospace Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7223669127