SIMULTANEOUS ATTITUDE AND MANIPULATOR CONTROL FOR DETUMBLING COUPLED SATELLITES WITH APPENDAGES

Abstract

Satellite servicing is of increasing interest in industry. Thousands of satellites, functional and not, are tumbling and would likely need to have their attitude stabilized for servicing or orbital change maneuvers. Further, a well-studied method for achieving capture between a servicer and a client satellite is with a robotic manipulator. This research presents a set of algorithms to achieve attitude stabilisation while reducing client appendage motion. A nonlinear quaternion feedback controller is presented; its stability proven and its utility discussed. A method of client appendage mode motion is presented. Finally a manipulator control algorithm to reduce client appendage motion is presented. These methods can be employed to increase the potential number of non-cooperative serviceable satellites.