Modeling and Simulation of Robotic System for Servicing Hubble Space Telescope

This paper addresses modeling, simulation and controls of a robotic servicing system for the Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions. The simulation models of the robotic system include flexible body dynamics, control systems and geometric models of the contacting bodies. These models are incorporated into MDA's simulation facilities, the multibody dynamics simulator "Space Station Portable Operations Training Simulator (SPOTS)". Three simulation examples of the robotic servicing operations are presented: (1) capture of the Hubble Space Telescope, (2) berthing the Hubble Space Telescope to the Hubble Robotic Vehicle and (3) inserting the Wide Field Camera into the Hubble Space Telescope.