Trajectory planning of a free-floating dual-arm space robot with minimal base disturbance in obstacle environments

Abstract

This paper addresses the issue of trajectory planning for a free-floating dual-arm space robot, considering the constraints of collision avoidance while simultaneously minimizing the base position and attitude disturbance during on-orbit tasks. One arm is designated as the mission arm, tracking a prescribed path to complete specific goals, while the other serves as the balance arm, compensating for any base attitude disturbance. A collision-free path planning approach is presented for the mission arm, which utilizes a hybrid map, improved artificial potential field (IAPF) and adaptive coupling guidance method. The hybrid map in the mission arm joint space contains the coupling relationship between the deviation of the base position and the motion of the dual arms, along with obstacles transformed from Cartesian space. Then, to address the problem of the goals nonreachable with obstacles nearby (GNRON) of the artificial potential field (APF), a novel repulsive potential field is incorporated into the IAPF. To minimize the base position disturbance, a coupling guidance method is presented that enables the mission arm to move in areas with lower coupling factors on the hybrid map. Finally, simulations are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed hybrid map and coordinated trajectory planning approach.