In this paper, we present three nonlinear control solutions for 6DOF spacecraft formation control, adopted from Euler-Lagrange system theory. The quaternion parametrization results in dual equilibrium points in the closed loop system, and the controllers are proved to render these uniformly asymptotically stable. We also present a theoretical comparison of the three control solutions, together with simulation results to visualize the performance of the controllers. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.