Modeling, Control and Simulation of a Novel Mobile Robotic System

We are developing an autonomous mo- bile robotic system to emulate six degree of freedom relative spacecraft motion during proximity opera- tions. A mobile omni-directional base robot provides x, y, and yaw planar motion with moderate accuracy through six independently driven motors. With a six degree of freedom micro-positioning Stewart platform on top of the moving base, six degree of freedom spacecraft motion can be emulated with high accu- racy. This paper presents our approach to dynamic modeling, control, and simulation for the overall sys- tem. Compared with other simulations that intro- duced significant simplifications, we believe that our rigorous modeling approach is crucial for the high fi- delity hardware in-the-loop emulation.