Free-flying Ground Testbed for Dynamics and Control of Tethered Spacecraft

本实验计划的目标是设计和建造一个自由飞行的地面试验台，能够在模拟的零重力空间环境中测试系绳航天器的动态行为及其对控制动作的响应。这一高度集中的实验项目将对系留航天器的动力学模型和稳定控制规律、系留展开和回收技术以及智能结构作动器技术进行验证。系留航天器的动力学和控制理论由于其多学科和多尺度的特性而非常复杂。由于空间验证的成本过高，所提出的地面试验台将在模拟空间环境中提供具有成本效益的测试设施，并揭示系绳航天器系统分析和设计中遇到的复杂问题，以发现现有理论可能忽略的一些基本问题。空间系绳技术在空间探索中具有巨大的应用潜力，如用于空间碎片发电和脱轨的电动力系绳、利用两个系绳航天器旋转在航天器中产生人工重力、用于精确对地观测的低空系绳探测器、用于完成小型航天器任务的航天器编队飞行、用于行星际探测的电子太阳帆等。提议的设备将训练HQP在实验设计、电子硬件、无线通信、软件编程、数据采集和处理、计算机视觉、系绳多体系统和智能结构执行器的动力学和控制方面。这些实践经验和实践技能也将使HQP在就业市场上更具竞争力。

The objective of this experimental program is to design and build a free-flying ground testbed capable of testing the dynamic behavior of tethered spacecraft and its response to control actions in an emulated space environment of zero gravity. This highly focused experimental program will lead to validation of the dynamic model and stability control law of tethered spacecraft, tether deployment and recovery technology, and smart structure actuator technology. The dynamics and control theory of tethered spacecraft is very complex mostly due to their multidisciplinary and multiscale nature. Due to the prohibitive cost for validation in space, the proposed ground testbed will provide cost-effective testing facility in an emulated space environment and shed light on the complex issues encountered in the analysis and design of the tethered spacecraft system in order to discover some fundamental issues that may be overlooked by existing theories. The space tether technology has a great potential in space exploration, for instance, the electrodynamic tether for power generation and deorbit of space debris, the creation of artificial gravity in spacecraft by rotation of two tethered spacecraft, the low-flying tethered probe for precision Earth observation, the spacecraft formation flying to achieve missions with smaller spacecraft, and the electronic solar sail for interplanetary exploration. The proposed equipment will train HQP in experimental design, electronic hardware, wireless communication, software programming, data acquisition and processing, computer vision, and dynamics and control of tethered multi-body system and smart structure actuators. These hands-on experiences and practical skills will also make HQP more competitive in job market.