Hybrid Realtime Simulation of The Space Docking Process
Hybrid Realtime Simulation of The Space Docking Process
Hybrid Realtime Simulation of The Space Docking Process
Abstract
In order to test the space docking mechanism on the
ground, the docking process of two spacecrafts must be
simulated. The hybrid simulation (hardware-in-loop
simulation) is a preferred method for its great
applicability to different spacecrafts. Therefore, a
space docking hybrid simulation (SDHS) prototype
system is established. In this system actual spacecrafts
are replaced by virtual ones and the docking dynamics
model is built according to moment of momentum
equations of the spacecrafts. Then a distributed
realtime computer system is used for calculating the
relative motion of the spacecrafts and driving a Figure 1. SDHS prototype system including
Stewart platform to implement this motion. Adopting imitated docking components
an imitated docking mechanism in the experiment, the This system has an imitated probe/cone type docking
whole process of space docking is simulated mechanism. Although this docking mechanism is much
successfully. On the basis of this system, a SDHS simpler and cheaper than an actual one, it has the same
system using for testing actual docking mechanisms main functions, such as capturing and cushioning in
can be constructed in the future. the docking process. Besides the docking mechanism,
the prototype system includes a parallel manipulator
1. Introduction (Stewart platform), a six-axis force/torque sensor and a
distributed realtime system which consists of a
To ensure the accomplishment of spacecrafts’ dynamics calculation unit (DCU), a servo control unit
docking, the docking mechanism must work reliably in (SCU) and a monitor unit (MU). Its main theory is
the docking process. So it is necessary to simulate illustrated in Fig.2. The mutual force and torque of
docking processes on the ground to verify the docking imitated docking components are measured by the
mechanism’s validity. Because of the complexity of force/torque sensor, and the relative motion of two
the docking mechanism, modeling its action will be spacecrafts is calculated according to the docking
very difficult, so docking simulations can’t depend on dynamics model in the DCU. Then this relative motion
full digital methods and actual docking mechanisms is implemented by the Stewart platform driven by the
should be included in simulation systems. Thus the SCU. All status messages are monitored in the MU.
hybrid simulation with the hardware in the simulation This paper is organized as follows. The constructing
loop becomes a considerable solution. At present space method of the SDHS system is detailedly described in
docking hybrid simulation (SDHS) systems have been Section 2. The docking dynamics model is presented in
investigated in USA and Russia [1]. Similar Section 3. In Section 4, the location (position and
experiment systems used for researching man-made orientation) of the Stewart platform is calculated by
satellites were built in Japan [2] and Canada [3]. vector transforming. The docking process of
For the purpose of developing a SDHS system spacecrafts is simulated using this system in Section 5,
which can test the actual docking mechanism, a and Section 6 contains conclusions.
prototype system is built in this paper, showed in Fig.1.
Trajectory 200
Force(N)
Dx(m)
0
Docking simulator -0.35
-200
test
planning end simulation -0.4 test
-400
SDU simulation
-600 -0.45
74 76 78 80 82 74 76 78 80 82
Time(s) Time(s)
simulation
The initial conditions include offsets of the touching
Dy(m)
0