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Control System for Free-Floating Space Manipulator Based on Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC)

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Abstract

Manipulator mounted on an unmanned satellite could be used for performing orbital capture maneuver in order to repair satellites or remove space debris from orbit. Use of manipulators for such purposes presents unique challenges, as high level of autonomy is required and the motion of the manipulator influences the position and orientation of the manipulator-equipped satellite. This paper presents a new control system that consists of two modules: trajectory planning module (based on trajectory optimization algorithm) and Model Predictive Controller. Both modules take into account the free-floating nature of the satellite-manipulator system. Proposed control system was tested in numerical simulations performed for a simplified planar case. In the first set of simulations Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) was used to ensure realization of a square reference end-effector trajectory, while in the second set control system was used for optimizing and then ensuring realization of the trajectory that leads to grasping of the rotating target satellite. Simulations were performed with disturbances and with the assumed non-perfect knowledge of parameters of the satellite-manipulator system. Results obtained with NMPC are better than results obtained with the controller based on the Dynamic Jacobian inverse and with the Modified Simple Adaptive Control (MSAC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Space Research Centre (CBK PAN), Bartycka 18a str., 00-716, Warsaw, Poland

    Tomasz Rybus & Karol Seweryn

  2. Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada

    Jurek Z. Sasiadek

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  1. Tomasz Rybus
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  2. Karol Seweryn
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  3. Jurek Z. Sasiadek
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Correspondence to Tomasz Rybus.

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Rybus, T., Seweryn, K. & Sasiadek, J.Z. Control System for Free-Floating Space Manipulator Based on Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC). J Intell Robot Syst 85, 491–509 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-016-0396-2

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