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Optimization of body configuration and joint-driven attitude stabilization for transformable spacecraft under solar radiation pressure

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Abstract

The solar sail is one of the most promising space exploration systems due to its theoretically infinite specific impulse achieved through solar radiation pressure (SRP). Recently, researchers have proposed “transformable spacecraft” capable of actively reconfiguring their body configurations using actuatable joints. Transformable spacecraft, if used similarly to solar sails, are expected to significantly enhance orbit and attitude control capabilities owing to their high redundancy in control degrees of freedom. However, controlling them becomes challenging due to their large number of inputs, leading previous researchers to impose strong constraints to limit their potential control capabilities. This study focuses on novel attitude control techniques for transformable spacecraft under SRP. We developed two methods, namely, joint angle optimization to obtain arbitrary SRP force and torque, and momentum damping control driven by joint angle actuation. Our proposed methods are formulated in a general manner and can be applied to any transformable spacecraft comprising front faces that can predominantly receive the SRP on each body. The validity of our proposed method is confirmed through numerical simulations. Our study contributes to making most of the high control redundancy of transformable spacecraft without the need for expendable propellants, thus significantly enhancing the orbit and attitude control capabilities.

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Abbreviations

C :

Direction cosine matrix

C spe, C dif, C abs :

Coefficient of optical properties

CoM:

Center of mass

d :

Second-order term of a generalized velocity

F :

SRP force (N)

h c :

Angular momentum around the CoM of whole bodies (kg · m2/s)

I x :

Moment of inertia of X around the CoM of X (kg · m2)

m X :

Total mass of X (kg)

M :

Generalized mass matrix

n i :

Normal vector of the i-th body

P :

SRP (Pa)

Q, R :

Weight matrices for linear quadratic regulator (LQR)

r X (= R X − R 0):

Relative position of the CoM of X with respect to the CoM of body 0 (m)

r XY(= R x − R Y):

Relative position of the CoM of X with respect to the CoM of Y (m)

R x :

Absolute position of the CoM of body X (m)

s :

Sun pointing vector

t :

Time (s)

T:

SRP torque (N·m)

U :

Identity matrix

v :

Generalized velocity

w :

Generalized acceleration

x × :

Skew symmetric matrix of a vector x ∈ ℝ3

θ(= [θ 1, ⋯, θ m]T):

Joint angle vector (rad)

θ k :

Angular displacement of the k-th actuatable joint (rad)

λ k :

Rotational axis of the k-th joint

τ :

Generalized force

ϕ(= [ϕ 1, ϕ 2, ϕ 3]T):

Euler angles (rad)

ω :

Angular velocity of body 0 (rad/s)

c :

Subscript which signifies the whole bodies

hk :

Subscript which signifies the k-th joint

k :

Subscript which signifies the k-th body

k̂ :

Subscript which signifies the k-th outer group

s ij :

subscript which signifies the j-th surface of the i-th body

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Advisory Committee for Space Engineering in Japan as a strategic research group. The authors are grateful to the members of the Transformer working group, who greatly enhanced the value of the present study through thorough and patient discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Kanagawa, 252-5210, Japan

    Yuki Kubo

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan

    Toshihiro Chujo

Authors
  1. Yuki Kubo
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Correspondence to Yuki Kubo.

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The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

Additional information

Yuki Kubo received his Ph.D. degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the University of Tokyo, Japan, in 2022. He is currently a research associate at Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA. His research interests include space robotics, astrodynamics, nonholonomic mechanics, spacecraft system, and deep-space exploration. E-mail: kubo.yuki@jaxa.jp

Toshihiro Chujo received his Ph.D. degree in engineering from the University of Tokyo, Japan, in 2017. He is currently an assistant professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology. His main field of study includes astrodynamics, space mission design, spacecraft system, especially for solar sails. E-mail: chujo.t.aa@m.titech.ac.jp

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Kubo, Y., Chujo, T. Optimization of body configuration and joint-driven attitude stabilization for transformable spacecraft under solar radiation pressure. Astrodyn 8, 47–60 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42064-023-0167-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42064-023-0167-3

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