The robust extended Kalman filter (REKF) is adopted to overcome the unfavorable effect of the pulsar’s position error on the pulsar’s navigation system in this paper. It is shown that the pulsar’s position error can be seen as model uncertainty, and the effect of the uncertainty can be reduced by using the robust filtering technique. The performance of the REKF is illustrated in comparison with the standard EKF. Numerical simulation shows that the REKF is more accurate than the EKF for spacecraft navigation in the presence of pulsar’s position error.

Background and characteristics of interplanetary superhighway are presented in this paper. The circular restricted three-body problem and its periodic orbit and quasi-periodic orbit are analyzed. Application of interplanetary superhighway technology in the satellite Kuafu-A is discussed. At last its potential merits in the exploration of future deep-space exploration activities are discussed.

The development of optimal impulse rendezvous is reviewed in this paper. The optimal impulse rendezvous based on the criterion of impulse modifying, Lambert optimal rendezvous, the optimal impulse rendezvous solved by numerical methods and the optimal impulse rendezvous based on the theory of optimal rendezvous between neighboring circular orbits are introduced. And then the characters of these optimal impulse rendezvous are analyzed.

The fast-maneuver and high-attitude-stability control problem of agile satellites is addressed by employing the variable speed control moment gyros (VSCMGs) as the actuator. A steering law is proposed by using the Lyapunov approach. The VSCMG can work in two modes, control moment gyro（CMG）or moment wheel（MW）. The singularity problem of each working mode is analyzed. An approach is proposed to avoid the singularity. To improve the control performance, the problem of matching the VSCMGs wheel’s speed with its nominal value is also studied. A method for rapid dumping of wheel’s speed is presented by adjusting the formation of wheels. Numerical simulations illustrate the feasibility and performance of the proposed steering law.

In the deep space exploration mission, on-board computers (OBC) for satellite control systems have more new requirements, such as intelligence, adaptability and self-determination capability. The state of arts of OBCs’ fault-tolerance methods is introduced. An intelligent fault-tolerance method called evolvable hardware (EHW) fault-tolerance used in the fault-tolerance design of OBCs is presented. Three architectures to implement EHW fault-tolerance, which are parallel architecture, serial architecture and serial architecture with fault detection, are brought forward. Moreover, analysis and comparison are made among those architectures. Finally, a simulation validation platform is implemented so that the feasibility and fault-tolerance capability of serial architecture has been validated.

Considering nonlinearity of step motor’s output torques and low frequency vibration characteristics of flexible payload, a method for designing control command of step motor is proposed to suppress the residual vibration in this paper. The dynamics model of step motor driving flexible load is derived, indicating proper step logic design is a feasible solution of vibration suppression . Furthermore, as a feed forward control strategy of vibration suppression, the input shaping technique is analyzed and its modification for flexible payload driven by step motor is put forward. Simulation results validate that this method can be used to generate step logic for SA antenna slew mode.

A new control law of collision avoidance maneuver(CAM) is designed using coupling effect under a thruster failure. The collision probability is used to analyze the collision probability of two spacecrafts. And a transfer trajectory of orbit maneuver with safe and optimal fuel consumption is able to be selected in combination with the analysis of collision probability and fuel consumption. Simulation results validate that the CAM control law is effective under a thruster failure.

Star navigation is an autonomous navigation system. The composition of SINS(strap-down inertial navigation system)/star integrated navigation system, principles of star sensor, and SINS/star integrated navigation system, and three working modes are discussed in the paper. The vehicular test of SINS/star integrated navigation system are done using existing equipments. Feasibility and effectiveness of the SINS/star integrated navigation system are demonstrated through the vehicular test.

In the case of finite thrust apogee maneuver for the geostationary satellite, the fuel consumption increases due to the long burn arc. Based on the impulse orbit transfer principle, the finite thrust multi-impulse apogee maneuver for the geostationary satellite is studied in this paper. The minimum fuel multi-impulse apogee maneuver strategy with the constraint of subsatellite point is obtained. The thrust direction and firing time of each maneuver and the optimal intermediate transition orbits are given. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

This paper develops a 3-D visualization simulation tool for lunar rover’s locomotion and control that incorporates rigid multi-body dynamics and tyre-soil interactions, allows us to study key test cases such as slope climbing in soft soil, and gives an example of application of the lunar rover’s motion control in the simulation tool.