Analysis and experiments for delay compensation in attitude control of flexible spacecraft

Space vehicles are often characterized by highly flexible appendages, with low natural frequencies which can generate coupling phenomena during orbital maneuvering. The stability and delay margins of the controlled system are deeply affected by the presence of bodies with different elastic properties, assembled to form a complex multibody system. As a consequence, unstable behavior can arise. In this paper the problem is first faced from a numerical point of view, developing accurate multibody mathematical models, as well as relevant navigation and control algorithms. One of the main causes of instability is identified with the unavoidable presence of time delays in the GNC loop. A strategy to compensate for these delays is elaborated and tested using the simulation tool, and finally validated by means of a free floating platform, replicating the flexible spacecraft attitude dynamics (single axis rotation). The platform is equipped with thrusters commanded according to the on–off modulation of the Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) control law. The LQR is based on the estimate of the full state vector, i.e. including both rigid – attitude – and elastic variables, that is possible thanks to the on line measurement of the flexible displacements, realized by processing the images acquired by a dedicated camera. The accurate mathematical model of the system and the rigid and elastic measurements enable a prediction of the state, so that the control is evaluated taking the predicted state relevant to a delayed time into account. Both the simulations and the experimental campaign demonstrate that by compensating in this way the time delay, the instability is eliminated, and the maneuver is performed accurately.     

受细胞膜放电模型启发的航天器姿态鲁棒控制

研究了具有模型参数不确定和受空间环境干扰影响的挠性航天器姿态大角度快速机动快速稳定控制问题,设计了一种受细胞膜放电模型启发的鲁棒姿态控制器。综合考虑挠性航天器的强非线性和强耦合特性,设计了对模型参数和环境干扰具有鲁棒性的姿态机动控制器。为了减小机动中姿态突变激发的挠性附件振动,基于细胞膜放电的动力学模型设计了一种改进的鲁棒控制器。当参数不确定范围和干扰有界时,所提鲁棒控制器可使闭环系统的解最终一致有界。最后,分析了控制器参数对姿态控制性能及所需能量的影响。数值仿真验证了所提鲁棒控制器用于姿态机动控制可以得到良好的效果。     

Deployable space manipulator commanded by means of visual-based guidance and navigation

On orbit maneuvering of flexible space manipulators requires a special caution. In fact the task of reaching the desired configuration, and at the same time safely preserving the structure integrity and not perturbing the overall spacecraft attitude, is complicated by the extreme flexibility of the structure itself. For studying this problem, an experimental test bed is designed and realized at the Guidance and Navigation Laboratory at La Sapienza, University of Rome. In this paper, visual based techniques are considered as a valid option for the dual purpose of evaluating the control signals and monitoring the flexible behavior of the controlled structure. In fact the joint motors are controlled in order to reach a desired target taking the image of the target as acquired by a mobile camera mounted on the end effector of the manipulator, into account. The Image Based Visual Servoing is introduced together with the simple adaptive algorithm used for processing the acquired images. With respect to a more traditional terrestrial visual servoing, a control system based on a moving camera (a typical configuration in space applications) is particularly sensitive to the flexible vibrations of the arm links. In fact in the closed loop control scheme, an oscillating movement of the camera influences the image processing, which in turn influences control actions. Instability could arise if the flexible dynamics is not separated from the rigid motion. This paper shows that it is possible to evaluate the elastic properties of the complex multibody manipulator (flexibility of the link, elastic behavior of the joints, effects of nonstructural masses) thanks to the analysis of the image acquired.     

柔性航天器预设性能及时间自抗扰姿轨跟踪控制

针对柔性航天器的姿轨机动及跟踪控制问题,首先基于模块化的多体动力学建模方法在SE(3)框架下建立柔性航天器的姿-轨-结构一体化动力学模型,其中航天器的位置、姿态使用李群SE(3)上的指数坐标来描述,然后进一步推导其相对动力学模型。在此基础上提出一种基于预定义性能及时间的积分滑模跟踪控制方法,通过引入预定义时间扰动观测器估计柔性附件弹性振动及空间环境的扰动,并在控制律中加入扰动估计结果的前馈补偿项,通过Lyapunov理论证明了系统的闭环稳定性和跟踪误差收敛性。该算法通过对状态误差的实时监测来调整执行器的输出,使控制器在系统存在柔性振动及空间环境干扰的情况下仍可实现高精度的姿轨跟踪。将其应用至柔性航天器姿轨跟踪系统中,仿真结果表明了该控制方案的有效性和实用性。     

挠性航天器混合H2/H∞输出反馈姿态控制（英文）

研究一类带有挠性附件的航天器的H2/H∞输出反馈姿态控制问题,所涉及的挠性航天器由刚性本体和挠性附件构成。由于挠性附件的振动和航天器本体姿态运动的耦合,再加之振动模态难以测量,对挠性航天器的姿态控制带来困难。针对该问题提出了基于H2/H∞理论的动态输出反馈控制器设计方法。动态输出反馈在模态变量不能测量的前提下也能有效控制航天器本体姿态,而H∞控制器具有很好的抗干扰能力,能有效抑制空间环境干扰力矩和模型不确定性对控制系统稳定性的影响。和纯H∞输出反馈控制算法相比,基于H2/H∞的设计同时提高系统的动态性能。数值仿真验证了所设计的控制方法对挠性航天器具有很好的姿态控制效果。     

大型挠性航天器的鲁棒模型预测姿态控制

针对大型挠性航天器的三轴姿态控制问题,考虑了控制输入约束,设计了鲁棒模型预测姿态控制器。首先,将模型预测控制应用到不考虑扰动的标称挠性航天器系统中,通过求解优化问题推导预测控制律,从而得到三轴姿态的标称轨迹。然后,为有效处理大型挠性附件振动对中心刚体姿态造成的扰动,针对带有扰动的挠性航天器实际姿态控制系统,设计由最优状态与实际系统状态的误差构成的辅助反馈控制器,使实际系统状态维持在以标称轨迹为中心的“管道”(Tube)不变集内,并驱使实际系统状态到达标称轨迹上,最终沿着标称轨迹到达平衡点。仿真结果表明,在鲁棒模型预测控制的作用下,实现了姿态角的快速精确跟踪,有效地处理了由大挠性附件振动对中心刚体姿态产生的扰动,增强了系统的鲁棒性。     

带挠性附件的航天器系统动力学特性研究

本文研究了带挠性附件的航天器系统动力学特性。带挠性附件的航天器系统建模为刚性主体带挠性附件（挠性附件的末端带有刚性质量），根据拟坐标下的Ｌａｇｒａｎｇｅ定理建立了主刚体姿态运动与挠性附件振动相互耦合的动力学状态方程。针对一类带挠性附件的航天器系统编制了有关计算软件，利用该软件以ＳＣＯＬＥ模型（ＳＣＯＬＥ是ＳｐａｃｅｃｒａｆｔＣｏｎｔｒｏｌＬａｂｏｒａｔｏ－ｒｙＥｘｐｅｒｉｍｅｎｔ的缩写，其系统构形可参见文献［２］［３］）为例进行动力学分析，我们得到了与ＮＡＳＡ有关报告几乎完全一样的结果。本项研究为一类带挠性附件的航天器控制系统设计提供了一种合适的动力学理论模型。     

A novel single thruster control strategy for spacecraft attitude stabilization

Feasibility of achieving three axis attitude stabilization using a single thruster is explored in this paper. Torques are generated using a thruster orientation mechanism with which the thrust vector can be tilted on a two axis gimbal. A robust nonlinear control scheme is developed based on the nonlinear kinematic and dynamic equations of motion of a rigid body spacecraft in the presence of gravity gradient torque and external disturbances. The spacecraft, controlled using the proposed concept, constitutes an underactuated system (a system with fewer independent control inputs than degrees of freedom) with nonlinear dynamics. Moreover, using thruster gimbal angles as control inputs make the system non-affine (control terms appear nonlinearly in the state equation). This necessitates the control algorithms to be developed based on nonlinear control theory since linear control methods are not directly applicable. The stability conditions for the spacecraft attitude motion for robustness against uncertainties and disturbances are derived to establish the regions of asymptotic 3-axis attitude stabilization. Several numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed controller and validate the theoretical results. The control algorithm is shown to compensate for time-varying external disturbances including solar radiation pressure, aerodynamic forces, and magnetic disturbances; and uncertainties in the spacecraft inertia parameters. The numerical results also establish the robustness of the proposed control scheme to negate disturbances caused by orbit eccentricity.     

Modal control of the planar motion of a long flexible beam in orbit

Attitude control techniques for the pointing and stabilization of very large, inherently flexible spacecraft systems are investigated. The attitude dynamics and control of a long, homogeneous flexible beam whose center of mass is assumed to follow a circular orbit is analyzed. In this study, first order effects of gravity-gradient are included, whereas external perturbations and related orbital station keeping maneuvers are neglected. A mathematical model which describes the system deflections within the orbital plane has been developed by treating the beam as having a maximum of three discretized mass particles connected by massless, elastic structural elements. The uncontrolled dynamics of this system are simulated and, in addition, the effects of the control devices are considered. The concept of distributed modal control, which provides a means for controlling a system mode independently of all other modes, is examined. The effect of varying the number of modes in the model as well as the number and location of the control devices are also considered.     

基于时频域分析的轮控航天器姿态控制规律参数整定

研究了轮控航天器姿态控制规律的设计与参数整定问题。采用xyz转序欧拉角描述航天器姿态,建立了航天器动力学及运动学方程,并设计了非线性解耦控制律,使得各回路可独立设计PID控制器。以滚动回路为例,分析了PD控制参数与系统带宽、截止频率、相位裕度等多项频域指标的关系,从而设计有效的稳态控制器以应对挠性结构振动和系统时延等;接着根据姿态控制特性给出了积分参数选取及积分饱和处理策略;同时为快速完成姿态机动,结合时间最优控制特性分析了控制参数与机动角度的关系;此外,执行机构效率和系统干扰力矩等因素也被用于控制参数域的整定。最后利用整定策略设计了某型卫星的姿态控制器,并通过频域分析和数学仿真检验了该方法的有效性和实用性。     

带有输入非线性的挠性航天器姿态机动变结构控制

针对挠性航天器反作用飞轮输入力矩受限情况下的姿态机动问题，提出了一种仅利用输出信息的变结构输出反馈控制方法。在基于非线性和低阶模态的动力学模型基础上，给出了滑模存在条件以及变结构输出反馈控制器设计的方法，并保证闭环系统渐近稳定；另外，为了避免确定不确定性和外干扰界函数上限的困难，又给出了一种自适应变结构输出反馈控制器的设计方法，并基于Lyapunov方法分析了滑动模态的存在性及稳定性。最后，将本文提出的两种控制方法应用于三轴稳定挠性航天器的姿态机动控制，并进行数值仿真研究。仿真结果表明：在反作用飞轮的控制受限条件下，完成姿态机动的同时，使得挠性附件的振动幅值远远小于0．001，有效地抑制挠性附件的振动。     

一种挠性航天器的对偶四元数姿轨耦合控制方法

为解决复杂的挠性航天器的姿轨控制问题,对于挠性航天器的姿轨耦合动力学建模与控制展开研究。基于对偶四元数原理,推导给出一套挠性航天器的姿轨一体化动力学模型。此种模型能够紧凑描述航天器的轨道和姿态,且能够自动引入航天器平动、转动与挠性附件振动三者之间的关联耦合作用。基于此模型设计了一种自适应位置姿态跟踪控制器,该控制器能够在航天器质量特性参数未知的情况下,对其位置和姿态进行轨迹跟踪控制,并使位置和姿态误差收敛。该自适应控制器还可对航天器上挠性附件对系统的耦合作用进行估计,进而在控制输出中对其进行补偿,提高卫星控制系统的稳定性。通过仿真对控制律进行校验,结果表明该控制律对挠性航天器控制效果良好,具有一定的工程应用参考价值。     

挠性航天器大角度机动的变结构控制

考虑刚性主体上带有挠性梁的航天器 ,在建立挠性系统动力学模型的基础上 ,采用等速趋近率的滑模变结构控制策略进行大角度机动控制 ,并通过最优控制理论设计弹性稳态器 ,抑制由于刚体运动而激发的弹性振动 ,实现了旋转机动的同时 ,有效抑制弹性振动     

挠性航天器的鲁棒多目标姿态控制器设计

航天器挠性附件的振动难以直接测量且对航天器的姿态控制精度产生不利影响。为解决这一问题,提出一种基于观测器的鲁棒多目标姿态控制系统设计方法,借助特征结构配置的参数化方法,给出了含有自由参向量的控制器以及观测器的完整参数化形式。通过对自由参向量的多目标优化选取,使控制系统具有良好的鲁棒性和干扰抑制能力,并避免了控制输出饱和现象的发生。对一个挠性航天器的设计实例表明了方法的有效性。
     

Robust adaptive integrated translation and rotation control of a rigid spacecraft with control saturation and actuator misalignment

This paper handles the integrated translation and rotation tracking control problem of a rigid spacecraft with unknown mass property, actuator misalignment and control saturation. In view of the system natural coupling, the coupled translational and rotational dynamics of the spacecraft is developed, where a thruster configuration with installation misalignment is taken into account. By using anti-windup technique and backstepping philosophy, a robust adaptive integrated control scheme is proposed such that the spacecraft is able to track the command position and attitude signals in the presence of external disturbance, unknown mass property, thruster misalignment and control saturation. Within the Lyapunov framework, the uniformly ultimate boundedness of the system states is guaranteed. In particular, given the nominal case, the asymptotic convergence of the system states can be further ensured by the proposed control scheme. Finally, numerical simulation demonstrates the effect of the designed control strategy.     

基于磁悬浮控制力矩陀螺的航天器姿态高精度高带宽测量方法

针对航天器姿态测量精度和带宽之间相互制约问题,提出一种基于磁悬浮陀螺的航天器姿态高精度、高带宽测量方法。根据刚体动力学和坐标变换原理建立磁悬浮转子径向转动合外力矩模型。在框架静止条件下,通过实时检测磁悬浮控制力矩陀螺（MSCMG）中的磁轴承电流、磁悬浮转子位移,计算出磁悬浮转子径向转动所受合外力矩以及磁悬浮转子径向偏转信息,间接得到航天器运动对磁悬浮转子径向转动作用力矩,进而求出航天器单轴姿态角速度和姿态角加速度。不同带宽下的仿真结果表明,本测量方法能同时检测出航天器单方向的姿态角速度和角加速度,并且满足高精度高带宽要求。     

基于鲁棒状态观测器的运载火箭姿态控制系统设计

考虑弹性振动和液体晃动,采用鲁棒观测器设计了运载火箭的姿态控制系统。将姿态角测量结果中弹性振动的影响视为外界干扰,利用状态观测器的低通滤波特性实现对高频弹性信号的衰减,同时状态观测器替代速率陀螺估计得到姿态角速度,以姿态角和角速度信号为输入,采用扭曲二阶滑模控制方法设计了姿态控制律,并从理论上对该控制律稳定液体晃动和弹性振动的原理进行了证明,对观测器变换矩阵的选择进行分析。数值仿真表明,在参数摄动和干扰的影响下,所提出的变结构控制律能够有效的跟踪控制指令,稳定系统姿态,具有较强的鲁棒性,同时鲁棒状态观测器能够准确的估计出角速度信息。     

一类挠性航天器的变结构控制

本文研究在控制器能量受限条件下，一类挠性航天器的姿态控制问题。考虑刚性主体上带有挠性梁的航天器，并假定系统在一平面内作旋转运动。针对航天控制工程中执行机构的工作模式，基于系统的无穷维模型，本文设计了简单易行的变结构控制方案，并证明了相应的闭环系统的渐近稳定性。数值仿真和物理实验结果显示了所设计的控制算法的有效性。     

多星发射上面级姿态变结构控制方法研究

根据上面级飞行器存在强控制耦合和惯量耦合特性,基于上面级刚体姿态动力学简化模型,由变结构控制理论设计了上面级姿态控制律。采用趋近律减轻变结构控制引起的系统抖振。仿真结果表明：设计的控制律可自动适应强耦合对象特性,具强鲁棒性,使系统在有限时间收敛、精确跟踪。     

Stability of large flexible damped spacecraft modeled as elastic continua

Vibrational stability of a large flexible, structurally damped spacecraft subject to large rigid body rotations is analysed modelling the system as an elastic continuum. Using solution of rigid body attitude motion under torque free conditions and modal analysis, the vibrational equations are reduced to ordinary differential equations with time-varying coefficients. Stability analysis is carried out using Floquet theory and Sonin-Polya theorem. The cases of spinning and non-spinning spacecraft idealized as a flexible beam plate undergoing simple structural vibration are analysed in detail. The critical damping required for stabilization is shown to be a function of the spacecraft's inertia ratio and the level of disturbance.