Application of Impedance Control in Robotic Manipulators for Spacecraft On-orbit Servicing

On-orbit satellite servicing is a technology that is expected to transform the space sector in the coming years. Space robotics is a promising approach to refuel, repair, update, and transport satellites on orbit. However, safe and reliable docking with the client satellite, needed as part of most servicing operations, is still considered a challenge. This paper presents an autonomous robot-based approach for this purpose. An impedance control strategy is added to the controller of a conventional robotic manipulator to allow compliant and safe manipulation of a spacecraft docking mechanism. This setup is expected to facilitate autonomous docking and manipulation operations with cooperative and non-cooperative on–orbit serviced satellites. Platform-art©, a dynamic test bench for hardware-in-the-loop validation of space GNC technologies is used to test the proposed approach.