Modeling and Control Framework for Autonomous Space Manipulator Handover Operations

TL;DR

This paper develops a dynamic model for dual-arm space manipulators and compares control laws to enable autonomous robot-to-robot object handovers in space missions.

Contribution

It introduces a cooperative manipulator dynamic model and analyzes different control laws for autonomous handover operations in space.

Findings

Dynamic model of dual-arm space manipulator developed

Control law comparison for handover tasks conducted

Results support autonomous in-space object transfer

Abstract

Autonomous space robotics is poised to play a vital role in future space missions, particularly for In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM). A key capability in such missions is the Robot-to-Robot (R2R) handover of mission-critical objects. This work presents a dynamic model of a dual-arm space manipulator system and compares various tracking control laws. The key contributions of this work are the development of a cooperative manipulator dynamic model and the comparative analysis of control laws to support autonomous R2R handovers in ISAM scenarios.