Time-optimal detumbling maneuver along an arbitrary arm motion during the capture of a target satellite

Abstract

This study addresses a time-optimal control of a free-floating space robot to stabilize a tumbling target satellite while paying attention to: 1) limitations on the grasping force and torque, 2) detumbling operation along an arbitrary arm motion, and 3) parameter uncertainty in the target satellite, by parameterizing the manipulator hand motion. The consept of detumbling speed, determines the optimal control input and is also advantageous when handling dynamics parameter uncertainty in the target satellite.