Multiple-to-One Orbital Pursuit: A Computational Game Strategy

In this article, we investigate the cooperative pursuit–evasion problem among multiple spacecraft. The presented problem involves a dynamic pursuit process that gives rise to a multiple-to-one pursuit game, in which multiple pursuing spacecraft collaborate to collectively minimize the minimum distance between pursuers and evader. The main challenge lies in establishing the game amidst intricate mission intentions and ensuring efficient generation of game strategies, e.g., the Nash equilibrium strategy. To this end, we innovatively formulate the multiple spacecraft pursuit–evasion problem conundrum within the framework of a multiplayer computational game. Subsequently, an one-step look-ahead Nash equilibrium is introduced to facilitate the periodic modification of ideal trajectories during the dynamic game process. In addition, in order to enhance the solution efficiency, we integrate an action/reaction search procedure, embedded with a dynamic pruning technique, into the search for the Nash equilibrium. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.