ESA GNC Conference Papers Repository

Based on the outstanding characteristics of Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) on Telemetry and Command (TT&C) Tracking, and the special demand of Rendezvous and Docking (RVD) mission for TT&C, the control strategy for TDRS tracking RVD was investigated from three aspects of antenna pointing control strategy, capturing and tracking control operation process, and capturing and tracking control strategy, respectively. Firstly, according to relative positions of TDRS and consumer satellite, an antenna pointing control calculation model was designed, and four control modes for antenna pointing were analyzed. Then, control operation process for TDRS tracking RVD mission was designed. Finally, based on chaser and target tracking rule, capturing and tracking control strategy for TDRS tracking RVD was analyzed on both sides of single TDRS time-dividing and two TDRSs time-relaying, and seriate tracking strategy based on above two different contrails was put forward. The investigation results show that proper control strategy can improve the capability of TDRS tracking RVD.