Multirate variational methods for simulation and optimal control of flexible spacecraft

Conference item

We present a multirate variational optimal control method for simultaneous slewing and vibration control in flexible spacecraft. The dynamics are discretised on coupled micro and macro time grids, preserving system structure while achieving accuracy comparable to singlerate formulations at significantly lower computational cost. Two multirate formulations are investigated: one that evolves both configuration and momentum, and a configurationonly variant that reduces the number of unknowns and constraints for improved computational efficiency. Numerical studies of a single-axis manoeuvre demonstrate accurate tracking and effective vibration suppression, with performance matching singlerate methods while substantially reducing problem size and solution time.

Authors: Lishkova, Y; Cannon, M; Leyendecker, S; Ober-Blobaum, S

• Publication status: Accepted
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Acceptance date: 2026-05-15
• Event title: 23rd International Federation of Automatic Control World Congress
• Event location: Busan, Republic of Korea
• Event website: https://ifac2026.org/
• Event start date: 2026-08-23
• Event end date: 2026-08-28
• Language: English
• Keywords: numerical integration; optimal control; variational calculus; spacecraft control