New capabilities of the autonomous control system of upgraded Soyuz and Progress spacecraft for implementing a «quick» rendezvous with the ISS

The paper discusses algorithms for navigation, guidance and trajectory control implemented in the course of upgrading the control system of Russian spacecraft of Soyuz and Progress series. The control system is based on an adjustable strapdown inertial navigation system, using a realistic model of spacecraft motion. The upgrade of control algorithms was prompted by the new navigation capabilities provided by the installation of satellite navigation hardware onboard spacecraft and the International Space Station, which allow starting automatic rendezvous from the initial position. It provides a description of the guidance algorithm for calculating onboard the spacecraft all the maneuvers of the rendezvous plan, which takes into account the requirement of safe approach and constraints on the spacecraft velocity with respect to the orbital station during rendezvous. It discusses the feasibility of implementing fhe rendezvous operation using the so-called «quick» docking profiles. It provides an estimate of the relationship between the boundaries of the optimal range of phases and the duration of the rendezvous operation for «quick» profiles. It describes a strategy for expanding the range of phases for the currently used 4-orbit rendezvous profile with navigation support from radio monitoring of the orbit. It provides the results of the rendezvous with the ISS performed by Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft, and the results of a simulation of a rendezvous using satellite navigation equipment.