Power Optimization and Control for ELITE Based on Robust PWA Multiplexed MPC and Differential Evolution

The extremely low Earth imaging and technology explorer (ELITE), a very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellite, is expected to face increasingly high-power demands from its electrical propulsion system, due to significant atmospheric drag, and its attitude determination and control system (ADCS), especially during target pointing. This results in significant power-related concerns that have potentially detrimental impacts on the satellite’s mission success. To address these concerns, this paper innovatively proposes power optimization control strategies and algorithms to optimize ELITE’s power generation. The power control strategies are specifically designed for each significant phase of the mission to account for the constraints in the respective phases. The innovatively developed robust piecewise affine multiplexed model predictive control (RPWA MMPC) features a piecewise affine model that breaks down the complex nonlinear dynamics of ELITE into highly accurate linear models, which are further divided into lower dimensional subproblems via the multiplexed feature. This significantly decreases the computational resources required. An observer is also included to account for uncertainties and disturbances for robustness. Meanwhile, differential evolution (DE) has been innovatively integrated into the ADCS to enable the synchronous operations of sun tracking and target pointing, significantly optimizing the power generation of ELITE, potentially marking a breakthrough in the realm of satellite research and development. The efficacy of these strategies and algorithms was validated through hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experimentation, proving that with these strategies and algorithms, ELITE’s power system has the capability to meet the large power demands required for the mission, and testifying its potential to revolutionize VLEO remote sensing.