Dynamic Artificial Potential Function Guidance for Autonomous On-Orbit Servicing

Abstract

Globally, space agencies are pursuing aggressive directives seeking to develop enabling technologies that would facilitate the u tilization of space assets with longer service life and lower cost. As a result a need for an infrastructure capable of on-orbit servicing, maintenance, and repair of s pace assets has developed. We have previously unveiled the Het erogenous Ex pert Robots for On-orbit Servicing, o r HEROS (Fitz-Coy, 2005), concept as one feasible so lution for addressing this need. HEROS is an architecture which supports the use of sym biotically teamed expert robots , spacecraft robots with a specific expertise (i.e ., repair, insp ection, assembly, extravehicular activities assists, etc.), to perform autonomous on-orbit operations. This paper focuses on the preliminary developments for an autonomous guidance c oncept, specifically artificial potential functions guidance algorithms, for the HEROS concept.