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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Burnett, Ethan, Boone, Spencer
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.04304
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author Burnett, Ethan
Boone, Spencer
author_facet Burnett, Ethan
Boone, Spencer
contents Standard chance constrained control algorithms typically rely on the assumption that uncertainties in vehicle states obey Gaussian statistics. Highly nonlinear systems tend to disrupt Gaussianity, challenging standard chance-constrained control methods. This paper develops a non-Gaussian confidence boundary parameterization technique for such cases where the problem departs appreciably from the Gaussian assumption. The approach is to consider the true confidence boundary as a perturbation of the one predicted from covariance, deriving perturbed boundary geometry from computed higher-order statistical moments. Applying this technique to so-called "banana-shaped distributions" (found e.g. in orbital mechanics problems) enables a simple parameterization of the confidence boundary using the skew and kurtosis tensors. The method is then applied to an impulsive stochastic spacecraft maneuver targeting problem in two-body dynamics. An algorithmic implementation outperforms a standard linear covariance-based approach in computing control parameters satisfying certain probabilistic bounds on the non-Gaussian distribution.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_04304
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Analytic Non-Gaussian Confidence Boundary Method for Chance-Constrained Trajectory Control
Burnett, Ethan
Boone, Spencer
Optimization and Control
Standard chance constrained control algorithms typically rely on the assumption that uncertainties in vehicle states obey Gaussian statistics. Highly nonlinear systems tend to disrupt Gaussianity, challenging standard chance-constrained control methods. This paper develops a non-Gaussian confidence boundary parameterization technique for such cases where the problem departs appreciably from the Gaussian assumption. The approach is to consider the true confidence boundary as a perturbation of the one predicted from covariance, deriving perturbed boundary geometry from computed higher-order statistical moments. Applying this technique to so-called "banana-shaped distributions" (found e.g. in orbital mechanics problems) enables a simple parameterization of the confidence boundary using the skew and kurtosis tensors. The method is then applied to an impulsive stochastic spacecraft maneuver targeting problem in two-body dynamics. An algorithmic implementation outperforms a standard linear covariance-based approach in computing control parameters satisfying certain probabilistic bounds on the non-Gaussian distribution.
title Analytic Non-Gaussian Confidence Boundary Method for Chance-Constrained Trajectory Control
topic Optimization and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.04304