Acta Astronautica

Attitude control is a fundamental aspect of spacecraft operations. Model Predictive Control (MPC) has emerged as a powerful strategy for these tasks, relying on accurate models of the system dynamics to optimize control actions over a prediction horizon. In scenarios where physics models are incomplete, difficult to derive, or computationally expensive, machine learning offers a flexible alternat…

With plans to return to the Moon and explore Mars, long-duration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) are on the verge of becoming a reality. Medical self-sufficiency will be vital as astronauts operate far from Earth, where logistic support is limited, communication delays are prolonged, and emergency evacuation may not be feasible. While previous researchers have discussed medical risks and au…

The development of a commercial space resources (SRU) industry could face a conundrum: Is it possible to finance and develop a SRU industry in the absence of an existing market? And conversely, is it possible to develop a SRU market prior to the development of a SRU industry? Various potential markets have been proposed for SRU over time. These include water sourced from the Moon or asteroids as …

Asteroids are being considered for future science missions and for resource exploitation. This paper investigates whether low-thrust acceleration may control two asteroids’ trajectories to form a bounded binary asteroid system inside their zero-velocity curve. An analytical method models an active transverse control acceleration between two asteroids on adjacent circular orbits as a constant or e…