Abstract:

This paper focuses on the continuous constant lowthrust maneuver, which has drawn extensive interests in current space research activities due to its efficiency and flexibility in realizing the maneuver of space vehicles. It is required to estimate the acceleration that applies to maneuvering a vehicle to determine the motion parameters in order to pick up the maneuvering satellite and interfere in maneuver process in case of emergency. In this paper, an elegant differential equation is derived for variable acceleration which is chosen as a state variable, and measurement equations are built to reflect the relationship between the state space and measurement sampling space. The variation equations for the measurement vector to acceleration are put forward in order to linearize the discrete-time measurement equations. The algorithm has  successfully applied to maneuver process in commanding LEO satellite into geo-stationary orbit. The mission real flight scenery shows the algorithm developed here can estimate the acceleration and determine the orbital parameters during the continuous thrust maneuver process.