Output feedback model predictive control of spacecrafts based on proportional-integral observer

A novel attitude control algorithm is developed for spacecrafts based on the model predictive control and proportional-integral observer (PIO) in the presence of constraints. The high dimensional nonlinear dynamics are firstly transformed into three single-input single-output linear structural subsystems with coupled actions. Then these actions are viewed as disturbances estimated by the PIOs, and their values are embedded into the models to improve the accuracy of prediction. The predictive controller is composed of the analytical solution and the heuristic constraint handling. In addition, the angular position information is only needed for implementation. Finally, several simulations are used to verify the effectiveness of the developed algorithm. The results show that the designed system compensates the coupled actions well and makes the attitude control performance good.