Trajectory Generation for Satellite Capture Using a Redundant Manipulator

One important area for application of space robotics is autonomous on-orbit servicing of failed or failing spacecraft. In this work, we describe laboratory experiments that verify the feasibility of autonomous capture of a slowly spinning non-cooperative satellite by a manipulator. The developed algorithms have been implemented and tested with the Canadian Space Agency’s Automation and Robotics Test-bed, a two-arm, seven degree-of-freedom (dof) each, manipulator system. In the first phase of this work, a redundancy resolution scheme was implemented to maximize the robots’ manipulability and increase their functional workspace. In the second phase, an online vision-based trajectory generation algorithm generating a velocity command to safely approach the target satellite and match its motion was developed. An overview of this work and the important results are presented.