A novel fixed-time smooth synchronization controller for stabilizing chaotic spacecraft formation
Muhammad Shafiq, Israr Ahmad
Abstract
This article addresses two essential gaps in chaos synchronization. First, it studies fixed-time leader-follower spacecraft formation (LFSF) synchronization of multiple chaotic spacecraft systems, a previously unexplored area. Second, it introduces a novel fixed-time feedback control (FTBC) law for synchronizing chaotic systems to address the challenges in existing fixed-time control techniques. This paper studies the fixed-time LFSF synchronization of multiple chaotic spacecraft; it presents a new FTBC law for chaotic synchronization that achieves significantly faster, smoother, and more robust LFSF chaos synchronization with guaranteed settling time and minimizes state variable fluctuations during the formation configuration. The Lyapunov function-based analysis and fixed-time stability technique guarantee convergence of state variable error trajectories to zero within a pre-determined settling time, independent of the initial conditions. The paper showcases comprehensive computer simulations to validate the efficiency of the proposed scheme employing an LFSF synchronization system consisting of three followers and a leader spacecraft having different parameters and attitudes. In addition, the paper includes a comparative analysis highlighting the novelty and superior performance of the developed FTBC law and LFSF chaos synchronization investigation. The two main contributions of this article are the fixed-time LFSF chaotic synchronization and the development of a novel control law.