Experimental Demonstration of Precision Control of a Deployable Optics Structure

Abstract

This paper presents the development, design, and implementation of a precision control system for a large, sparse-aperture space-deployable telescope testbed. Aspects of the testbed and laboratory environment relevant to nanometer-level control and performance objectives are provided. There are four main objectives of the control system: 1) reduction of natural resonances of the supporting structure, 2) rejection of tonal disturbances, 3) tip, tilt, and piston set-point tracking for optical surfaces, and 4) reduction in settling time of optical surfaces after an impulsive slew-type disturbance. The development of a three-input, three-output, high-bandwidth structural control system for the testbed is presented, and experimental data demonstrating that all objectives were attained is provided. The paper concludes with a discussion of the results and a description of research issues remaining to be addressed.