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Dynamic Modeling of a Spacecraft with a Soft Robotic Manipulator

Soleymani, Mahshid | 2025

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  1. Type of Document: Ph.D. Dissertation
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 58884 (45)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Aerospace Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Kiani, Maryam
  7. Abstract:
  8. Soft manipulators mounted on free-floating spacecraft exhibit highly nonlinear and coupled behaviors due to the strong dynamic interaction between the manipulator and the rigid base, which makes accurate modeling and controller design a challenging problem. These challenges become more pronounced with increasing degrees of freedom, continuous deformation of the manipulator, and the non-Euclidean nature of the configuration space. Consequently, the development of modeling and control frameworks that can systematically span from simplified models to fully three-dimensional descriptions of soft space manipulators is essential for practical applications in orbital environments. In this dissertation, a hierarchical approach to the modeling and control of a soft space manipulator is proposed, starting from simplified two-dimensional models with a constant-curvature assumption and extending to a fully three-dimensional continuous model based on Cosserat rod theory. First, a simplified model is employed to investigate the base dynamics and assess control feasibility. The framework is then extended by incorporating full spatial configuration variables to describe the three-dimensional behavior of the manipulator. In the final stage, the constant-curvature assumption is removed, and the problem is formulated in its general continuous form on a Lie group configuration space. The kinematic relations and dynamic partial differential equations are derived using the Euler–Poincaré formulation. For numerical analysis, the continuous model is discretized using the constant strain method, and the resulting discrete soft space manipulator model is validated through two independent approaches. Based on the developed models, control laws for trajectory tracking of the desired configuration variables are designed and evaluated. The results of this dissertation demonstrate that the proposed modeling frameworks and control methods are capable of accurately describing and effectively controlling soft manipulators attached to free-floating systems. These approaches not only enable a coherent transition from simplified models to complete continuous descriptions but also provide effective control performance in trajectory tracking tasks. Therefore, the outcomes of this research can serve as a reliable foundation for the development of soft space robotic systems in future missions involving orbital assembly, maintenance, and on-orbit interaction
  9. Keywords:
  10. Soft Robots ; Euler-Poincare Characteristic ; Lie Algebra ; Lie Groups ; Sliding Mode Control ; Cosserat Rod Model ; Space Robotics Modeling

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