This paper outlines a novel approach to the design of optimal space trajectories under significant uncertainty. Finite-horizon covariance control, i.e., the steering of a system from an initial probability distribution to a desired one at a prescribed time, is employed to plan an optimal nominal path along with a robust feedback controller that compensates for exogenous in-flight disturbances. The major contribution of the present paper is a mindful convexification strategy to recast the nonlinear covariance control problem as a deterministic convex optimization problem. The convexification is based on a convenient change of variables that allows to relax the covariance matrix discrete-time propagation into a set of semidefinite cone constraints. While featuring a larger feasible space, the relaxed problem shares the same optimal solution as the original one, as proven by numerical experiments, hence demonstrating that the proposed relaxation is lossless. Monte Carlo campaigns are carried out to validate the in-flight performance of the attained control policies.

Covariance control for stochastic low-thrust trajectory optimization / Benedikter, Boris; Zavoli, Alessandro; Wang, Zhenbo; Pizzurro, Simone; Cavallini, Enrico. - (2022). (Intervento presentato al convegno AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum 2022 tenutosi a San Diego, CA; USA) [10.2514/6.2022-2474].

Covariance control for stochastic low-thrust trajectory optimization

Benedikter, Boris
;
Zavoli, Alessandro;Pizzurro, Simone;Cavallini, Enrico
2022

Abstract

This paper outlines a novel approach to the design of optimal space trajectories under significant uncertainty. Finite-horizon covariance control, i.e., the steering of a system from an initial probability distribution to a desired one at a prescribed time, is employed to plan an optimal nominal path along with a robust feedback controller that compensates for exogenous in-flight disturbances. The major contribution of the present paper is a mindful convexification strategy to recast the nonlinear covariance control problem as a deterministic convex optimization problem. The convexification is based on a convenient change of variables that allows to relax the covariance matrix discrete-time propagation into a set of semidefinite cone constraints. While featuring a larger feasible space, the relaxed problem shares the same optimal solution as the original one, as proven by numerical experiments, hence demonstrating that the proposed relaxation is lossless. Monte Carlo campaigns are carried out to validate the in-flight performance of the attained control policies.
2022
AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum 2022
convex optimization; stochastic optimal control; space flight
04 Pubblicazione in atti di convegno::04b Atto di convegno in volume
Covariance control for stochastic low-thrust trajectory optimization / Benedikter, Boris; Zavoli, Alessandro; Wang, Zhenbo; Pizzurro, Simone; Cavallini, Enrico. - (2022). (Intervento presentato al convegno AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, AIAA SciTech Forum 2022 tenutosi a San Diego, CA; USA) [10.2514/6.2022-2474].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1617279
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