Dynamic Modeling and Attitude–Vibration Cooperative Control for a Large-Scale Flexible Spacecraft

Abstract

Modern spacecraft usually have larger and more flexible appendages whose vibration becomes more and more prominent, and it has a great influence on the precision of spacecraft attitude. Therefore, the cooperative control of attitude maneuvering and structural vibration of the system has become a significant issue in the spacecraft design process. We developed a low-dimensional and high-precision mathematical model for a large-scale flexible spacecraft (LSFS) equipped with a pair of hinged solar arrays in this paper. The analytic global modes are used to obtain the rigid–flexible coupling discrete dynamic model, and the governing equations with multiple DOFs for the system are derived by using the Hamiltonian principle. The rigid–flexible coupled oscillating responses of LSFS under the three-axis attitude-driving torque pulse during the in-orbit attitude maneuvering process are investigated. A study on the flexibility of the hinge was also conducted. Based on the simplified and accurate dynamic model of the system, we can obtain a state-space model for LSFS conveniently, and the cooperative control schemes for rigid motion and flexible oscillation control are designed by using the LQR, PD, and PD + IS algorithms. The simulation results show that three cooperative controllers can realize spacecraft attitude adjustment and synchronously eliminate flexible oscillation successfully. By comparison, the PD + IS controller is simpler so that it is suitable for the real-time attitude–vibration cooperative control of spacecraft.

Keywords

• large-scale flexible spacecraft
• hinged multi-panel solar array
• low-dimensional and high-precision model
• attitude maneuvering
• cooperative control