Integral vector field path following for a stratospheric satellite

This paper addresses the integral vector field path following problem of a stratospheric satellite, which is an effective way to realize orbit keeping. The controller designed for path following is based on the theories of integral vector field guidance law, dynamic surface control and terminal sliding mode control. Firstly, a 6 degree-of-freedom (DOF) stratospheric satellite model is presented, which is the foundation of controller design and simulation. Secondly, the path following controller is proposed, which includes integral vector-fieldbased guidance laws to guide the satellite towards the desired path, terminal sliding mode controllers to reduce path-following errors into an acceptable range in a finite time, and a low pass filter designed to estimate virtual control inputs; a forward velocity controller is also added to maintain a constant velocity. Finally, simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm.