Ellipse cissoid-based potential function guidance for autonomous rendezvous and docking with non-cooperative target

An Ellipse Cissoid-based artificial potential function guidance method is proposed in consideration of security of autonomous rendezvous and docking with a non-cooperative target spacecraft in this paper. The relative dynamics and equations of state are described in a line-of-sight coordinate frame. Artificial potential function guidance is used for autonomous rendzvous and docking with no-cooperative target and static obstacles avoidance. Then the guidance method is combined with Ellipse Cissoid to ensure the security that a chaser spacecraft approaches to a non-cooperative target within safe approaching corridor. Stability of the proposed method is analyzed and proved by Lyapunov's theory. Finally, the numerical simulation results based on a accurate mathematic model demonstrate validity and effectiveness of the guidance approach proposed.