Safe approaching to non-cooperative spacecraft using potential function guidance based fuzzy logic system

A guidance control method is proposed for the mission of autonomous rendezvous and docking with non-cooperative target spacecraft. Firstly, the relative motion equations of state are described in a line of sight coordinate frame. Then artificial potential function guidance is used for chaser to approach non-cooperative target. Moreover, this guidance method is based on fuzzy logic system which satisfies safe approaching constraints in final approaching corridor scenario between the two spacecrafts. Stability of the proposed method is analyzed by using Lyapunov theory. Results obtained from numerical simulation studies demonstrate the validity of the method formulated in this paper.