Event
Robotic Arm Motion Enables Propellant-Free Spacecraft Attitude Control
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Harsh G. Bhundiya, Avi Soval, and Keenan Albee propose a trajectory optimization framework that uses robotic arm motion for propellant-free attitude control of free-floating spacecraft. The method models the problem as a nonlinear program with joint and collision-avoidance constraints, solved via an interior-point method, and computes rest-to-rest slew trajectories of up to 90° and detumbling trajectories with a 40% reduction in angular velocity across a series of spacecraft–robotic-arm systems. The authors directly compare the robotic arm's control capability with reaction wheel arrays via momentum and torque envelopes, stating that the arm can serve as a redundant or even primary attitude control system, and is especially promising for in-space assembly and manufacturing involving the capture of high relative-mass payloads. The above slew and detumbling magnitudes are example-case results, and the control-capability comparison is the authors' analysis conclusion based on the envelopes.
Report timeline
- Using a Robotic Arm as an Attitude Actuator: Propellant-Free Attitude Maneuver Planning for Free-Floating Spacecraft
This research uses manipulator motion for propellant-free attitude control of free-floating spacecraft, modeling it as a trajectory optimization problem with joint and collision-avoidance constraints and solving it with an interior-point method. Across a range of spacecraft-manipulator systems, the method computed rest-to-rest slew trajectories of up to 90° and detumble trajectories with a 40% reduction in angular velocity. The authors also directly compare the manipulator's control authority with that of reaction wheel arrays via momentum and torque envelopes, noting that manipulators could serve as a redundant or even primary attitude control system, with particular promise for in-space assembly and manufacturing involving the capture of high relative-mass payloads.
arXiv cs.RO ·
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