Generalized Predictive Control Design with Colored Noise: a Simulated Case Study for Spacecraft Emulation

In this work the Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) is revisited in order to assess its capabilities in handling colored noise disturbances using a novel design procedure. The proposed method is investigated in a simulated case study of spacecraft emulation. Such emulation is proposed by combining a network-controlled quadcopter and a set of computer-based control algorithms that impose approximated spacecraft dynamics to the aerial system. The corresponding model was built upon real registered flight data. The contribution of this paper is twofold: first, we propose a novel GPC design in the colored noise case. Second, we assess the use of quadcopters to investigate spacecraft guidance and control algorithms. Simulation results confirmed the proposed methodology as a possible low-budget spacecraft-emulation alternative for a future experimental setup. One of the main findings of the current investigation is that no significant enhancements coming from the use of GPC in minimizing the chattering of the control signal under the colored noise disturbance case could be observed. An important discussion on this matter and possible solutions are presented for future investigations.