Enhanced Berthing Maneuvers Through Contact-Inclusive Dynamics: A Novel Approach

Abstract

Autonomous space robots capable of object manipulation will play a prominent role in future space missions to achieve in-orbit assembly and debris capture. Modeling the robotic manipulation of cooperative or non-cooperative space targets requires a deeper understanding of the interaction dynamics between multibody systems, but, unlike terrestrial robotics, space robotics research is deficient in real-world experimental data that can augment in-orbit multibody contact dynamics models, further improving model fidelity. Thus computer simulations remain an indispensable tool for spacecraft dynamics and control engineers. The authors are developing a contact-inclusive simulation framework to study spacecraft dynamics, whose underlying fundamental features can be comprehensively highlighted by the berthing maneuver presented here. Specifically, this paper deals with the autonomous optimal trajectory planning of a robotic manipulator onboard a 6-Degrees-of-Freedoms (DoFs) mobile platform for the capture operation of a target body. In addition, insights to study rigid body interactions are provided by the proposed collision detection (CD) algorithm and contact model, which inform the subsequent berthing maneuver. This work on collision-inclusive dynamics for multibody space systems will impact future studies into various scenarios of on-orbit proximity operations.