Spacecraft Swarm Navigation and Control Using Artificial Potential Field and Sliding Mode Control

The artificial potential field (APF) method provides simple and effective path planners for practical terrestrial robotics control. Sliding mode control (SMC) strategy together with artificial potential field has been used for control of multi-agent systems or swarms. The aim of this work is to examine for the first time the applicability of APF and SMC for spacecraft swarm navigation and control. This paper demonstrates that spacecraft formation flying can be successfully achieved using SMC for closed loop feedback and APF method for path planning.