Adaptive and Rapid Capture of Tumbling Targets by a Cable-Driven Redundant Space Manipulator Under Time-Varying Constraints

Abstract

Cable-driven redundant space manipulators (CDRSMs) have significant potential applications in on-orbit servicing, owing to their light weight, low inertia, and intrinsic compliance. Especially for capturing and detumbling highly dynamic tumbling targets in space, it requires agile approaching, precise synchronizing, and compliant contact. However, the limited workspace and velocity/acceleration of the manipulator and the complex motion of the tumbling target make it essential to complete capture as quickly as possible in the limited feasible capturing time while subjecting to multiple time-varying constraints. In this article, we propose a rapid and adaptive capture method under time-varying constraints for capturing tumbling targets with CDRSM. First, we establish the multispace kinematic model of CDRSM and the dynamic model that takes the cable tension into account. Then, the time-varying end velocity and acceleration constraints related to the manipulator's configuration are derived. In order to fully exploit the maximum manipulation capabilities of CDRSM, we design a rapid and adaptive capture algorithm for capturing tumbling targets based on these time-varying constraints. Furthermore, we formulate a quadratic programming problem to improve the maximum end velocity of the manipulator. Finally, simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.