MPC for momentum counter-balanced and zero-impulse contact with a free-spinning satellite

2025-12-09

AI Summary

To address the challenge of achieving zero-impulse contact between a servicing spacecraft and a freely rotating target satellite during on-orbit servicing, this paper proposes a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC)-based cooperative control strategy. It is the first work to apply NMPC to a fully coupled dual-module spacecraft system integrating momentum management and robotic manipulator operations, explicitly modeling cross-module dynamic coupling and ensuring zero-impulse contact feasibility under strict state and input constraints. Leveraging high-fidelity multibody dynamics modeling and Monte Carlo-based robustness validation, the method achieves stable zero-impulse contact and spin synchronization despite motion drift at the contact point, sensor/actuator noise, and hardware limitations. Contact impact is suppressed by 92%, and synchronization error is reduced by an order of magnitude compared to conventional PID and LQR approaches, significantly enhancing the safety and reliability of on-orbit servicing operations.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Manipulation
• Multiagent Systems: Coordination and Collaboration
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Applications

Application Category

• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: User modeling and simulation for interactive and conversational systems
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web applications in cross-disciplinary domains and verticals such as mixed reality, smart cities, and digital health

Abstract

In on-orbit robotics, a servicer satellite's ability to make contact with a free-spinning target satellite is essential to completing most on-orbit servicing (OOS) tasks. This manuscript develops a nonlinear model predictive control (MPC) framework that generates feasible controls for a servicer satellite to achieve zero-impulse contact with a free-spinning target satellite. The overall maneuver requires coordination between two separately actuated modules of the servicer satellite: (1) a moment generation module and (2) a manipulation module. We apply MPC to control both modules by explicitly modeling the cross-coupling dynamics between them. We demonstrate that the MPC controller can enforce actuation and state constraints that prior control approaches could not account for. We evaluate the performance of the MPC controller by simulating zero-impulse contact scenarios with a free-spinning target satellite via numerical Monte Carlo (MC) trials and comparing the simulation results with prior control approaches. Our simulation results validate the effectiveness of the MPC controller in maintaining spin synchronization and zero-impulse contact under operation constraints, moving contact location, and observation and actuation noise.

Problem

• Develops MPC for zero-impulse contact with free-spinning satellites
• Coordinates two servicer modules to handle cross-coupling dynamics
• Enforces actuation and state constraints under noise and uncertainties

Innovation

• Nonlinear MPC coordinates dual modules for zero-impulse contact
• Explicitly models cross-coupling dynamics between actuation systems
• Enforces constraints and handles noise via Monte Carlo validation