An Overview of Ground Semi-Physical Verification Technology for On-Orbit Services

Abstract

On-orbit servicing is generally referred to as space assembly, maintenance, and service for spacecraft life extension of capacity enhancement in space by humans, robots, or both. The United States, Japan, Canada and ESA have included on-orbit service technologies in their space development plans. In order to make the on-orbit service system developed to adapt to space environment effects such as microgravity, thermal vacuum, and irradiation, full test verification on the ground is an effective measure to improve the success rate of space flight. In the orbital service task, docking and arresting are the key links which need to be verified on the ground. For such verification, semi-physical simulation methods are generally used abroad, and the motion of the space mechanism in microgravity environment is caculated by a precise dynamic model, and then the motion is realized by a prototype in three dimensional space. Compared with other microgravity simulation methods, the semi-physical simulation method has the advantages of low cost, good flexibility and scalability, can simulate three dimensional motion in microgravity environment, and has no time limit, which is a important test method for future on-orbit service technology. At present, the major space agencies and companies in United States and ESA all adopt semi-physical simulation methods. This paper investegates and summarizes the related projects, systems, key technologies and application methods, which can provide reference for relevat work.