Obstacle avoidance path planning of free-floating space manipulator for on-orbit observation

Abstract

Robotic on-orbit servicing (OOS) is the key to the development of the space frontier as a major element in space infrastructure. This paper discusses the concept of OOS, and introduces the categories of OOS including assembly, maintenance and upgrade. This paper also demonstrates the process of on-orbit observation. A system model for the space manipulator system is established, and the kinematic equation of such manipulator system as well. Point to point trajectory planning in joint space is also studied in this paper based on Newton-Raphson method. Eventually, this paper presents the subsection algorithm to realize obstacle avoidance of free-floating space manipulator for on-orbit observation, and a simulation of the approach and its corresponding analyses are given.