Adaptive variable structure controller for spacecraft vibration reduction

A hybrid control scheme to vibration reduction of flexible spacecraft is presented by using a variable structure technique for attitude control and piezoelectric materials for active vibration suppression. The attitude controller consists of a linear feedback term and a discontinuous feedback ones. An adaptive version of the proposed attitude controller is also achieved through releasing the limitation of knowing the bounds of the lumped perturbations in advance. An additional independent control system acting on the flexible parts can be designed for further vibration suppression. Simulation results have shown the theoretical and practical merit of this approach.