Approach and maneuver for failed spacecraft de-tumbling via space teleoperation robot system

Abstract

Using the space robot to rescue the failed spacecraft is one of the manipulations for on-orbit servicing of high-value spacecraft. The primary condition for space servicing is to reduce the angular velocity of the failed spacecraft, i.e. de-tumbling. Unlike other existing studies that mostly support the mode of autonomous de-tumbling, continuous output force/torque, and considering the insufficient intelligence of space robot, a space teleoperation robot system (STRS) is preferable to the simple remote control. This work provides a maneuver of forcedly contact for the de-tumbling process under discontinuous control torque. Concretely speaking, firstly, the capturing strategy is designed based on the failed spacecraft characteristic of quality and nutation. Then, the scheme of the flexible brush-type contact de-tumbling is proposed, in which the flexible brush adheres to the terminal manipulator. Through multiple contacts between the flexible brush and the marked point at the edge of the solar array via teleoperation, the angular velocity of the failed spacecraft is decreased to the desired value. Meanwhile, the system also offers the ability that enables the angular velocity to be decreased when there is an operation force deviation. The effectiveness of the maneuver is validated by simulation results. The results indicate that the angular velocity of failed spacecraft can be reduced to the value, which is a suitable condition for capturing after conducting a de-tumbling operation.