Finite-time attitude control for rigid spacecraft-based on adaptive super-twisting algorithm

This study addresses the finite-time attitude tracking control for rigid spacecraft with external disturbances and inertia uncertainties. A novel adaptive-gain super-twist algorithm (STA) improves the control performance of standard STA, and the dynamically adapted control gains can resolve non-overestimating problem. The presented controllers do not require any knowledge on inertial uncertainties and external disturbances, and are anti-chattering and anti-singularity. The closed-loop spacecraft system under the proposed controllers can provide rapidity, robustness, accuracy and anti-wasting energy simultaneously, which is largely ignored in the existing literatures. The finite-time rigorous convergence, an estimation of the convergence time and accurate expression of convergence region are also provided. Finally, comparison results demonstrate that the presented controllers can achieve higher control performance than existing methods. Furthermore, digital simulations utilising the physical parameters of Uosat-12 verify the effectiveness of the proposed controllers.