Experimental Verification of Docking Mechanism Control to Grasp and Guide a Nanosatellite
- Paper number
IAC-05-B5.6.A.07
- Author
Mr. Kyoichi Ui, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Coauthor
Prof. Saburo Matunaga, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
- Year
2005
- Abstract
The paper discusses a research and development of a docking mechanism in order to refuel and recharge nanosatellites. The docking mechanism aims at expanding the lifetime of on-orbit servicing nanosatellite conducting inspection, transport and observation missions. Features of nanosatellite are smaller, lighter, higher strength and rigidity than that of general satellite of more than 100kg. Moreover, the nanosatellite is generally difficult to have a high accurate guidance, navigation and control system. We propose a docking methodology based on features of nanosatellites to dock and release them reliably and repeatedly. The methodology is divided into two phases. Phase 1 is called final approach and grasping phase. This type of docking mechanism has a large grasping space to permit control errors of the nanosatellite and to grasps and fix it at a relative position and attitude with respect to the docking mechanism. Phase 2 is called guiding phase. The docking mechanism guides the nanosatellite with adjusting the relative position and attitude errors to zeros in order to mate it with a docking port. In this paper, a functional test model of the docking mechanism is designed and fabricated. A practical control algorithm for the docking mechanism is proposed, several ground experimental studies are conducted, and the feasibility of the proposed control method is shown. Two-dimensional microgravity experiments using the floating satellite simulators developed in our laboratory and free-fall type three-dimensional microgravity experiments at Japan Microgravity Center were conducted to verify the fundamental functions of the developed docking mechanism and the control algorithm. There are two types of conditions called “complete grasping” and “incomplete grasping” when the docking mechanism grasps the nanosatellite. The two conditions are closely related to the relative position and attitude errors. Thus, guiding methods and docking possibility criteria are proposed according to each condition. In this paper, the proposed control algorithm will be explained, and the results of several ground experiments will be discussed in detailed.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-B5.6.A.07.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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