Convergence Compensation for Space Contact Semiphysical Simulator Based on Mechanical Structure Dynamics

Abstract

Space capturing and docking is a key technique for space on-orbit operations. The semiphysical simulator is an essential experimental facility to verify the space capturing and docking task. The simulation divergence problem caused by the various delays in system loops has been studied in the literature, but the simulation convergence problem is not investigated well. In this study, the simulation convergence due to mechanical structure dynamics of the upper motion simulator is investigated. The phase analysis shows that the mechanical structure dynamics of the upper motion simulator is phase led, and therefore simulation convergence happens. To compensate for the simulation error, a mechanical structure dynamics–based convergence compensation method is investigated. The stability condition is analyzed. Simulations and experiments are given to test the convergence compensation method.