Simulation and Control of Space Manipulators Bearing Complex Payloads

Payloads to be handled by space manipulators cannot always be considered as inert bodies represented by mass and inertias. They may feature flexible appendages, liquide sloshing in tanks or kinetic momentum wheels which will make their modelling and control more complex. Modelling is considered in this paper from the point of view of the connection of a dynamic model of a payload to a general purpose multi-body simulation package. Control issues are discussed in the frame of dynamic control, where the overall control loop is split up between an inner force control loop dependent only on the manipulator parameters, and an outer payload control loop which adaptation to large inert and complex payloads is investigated.