A hybrid motion planning algorithm for safe and efficient close proximity, autonomous spacecraft missions

As the International Space Station and Earth orbiting satellites age well past their originally planned operational lifespan, improved monitoring of these spacecraft's integrity will be critical to the safety of any crew on board and continued functionality. A small autonomous free flying spacecraft could have the ability to monitor for structural instabilities without the need for astronaut intervention. An offline motion planner has been developed that plans a fuel efficient trajectory between user specified waypoints for the purpose of inspection, given an inspection vehicle's dynamics model, a thruster model and the obstacle field the vehicle operates in. The algorithm developed is shown to find trajectories superior to its predecessor.