A novel high-order sliding mode controller design for tethered satellite

This paper focuses on controller design for the tethered satellite systems. The dynamic equations of the tethered system in orbital maneuvering are established and the in-plane motion is formulated as a typical underactuated system. In order that the underactuated system can be forced to track the expected in-plane angle trajectory, an integrator chain system is derived for a redefined sliding surface and a tether tension control law is proposed based on a novel high-order sliding mode. This control law guarantees high-accuracy tracking and provides a chattering-free performance. After the establishment of a high-order sliding mode with respect to the redefined sliding surface in finite time, the closed-loop system is linearized at the equilibrium point. Afterwards, the closed-loop system is proved locally and asymptotically stable based on the Routh Criterion. Simulation results demonstrate the usefulness and effectiveness of the proposed control methodology. © 2016, Editorial Dept. of JA. All right reserved.