Dynamic modeling of spacecraft solar panels deployment with Lie group variational integrator

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The spacecraft with multistage solar panels have nonlinear coupling between attitudes of central body and solar panels, especially the rotation of central body is considered in space. The dynamics model is based for dynamics analysis and control, and the multistage solar panels means the dynamics modeling will be very complex. In this research, the Lie group variational integrator method is introduced, and the dynamics model of spacecraft with solar panels that connects together by flexible joints is built. The most obvious character of this method is that the attitudes of central body and solar panels are all described by three-dimensional attitude matrix. The dynamics models of spacecraft with one and three solar panels are established and simulated. The study shows Lie group variational integrator method avoids parameters coupling and effectively reduces difficulty of modeling. The obtained continuous dynamics model based on Lie group is a set of ordinary differential equations and equivalent with traditional dynamics model that offers a basis for the geometry control. Keywords: Lie group, Variational integrator, Spacecraft, Solar panels deployment, Dynamics modeling