Ground simulators of space docking, berthing and other operations that involve dynamic contact, can be used for test and validation of space hardware and procedures, and training astronauts. These simulators comprise two elements: 1) a "simulated system" which is a real-time computer simulation of the space dynamics of contacting flight objects, and 2) an 'active system' which consists of actual, or models of, flight contact hardware modules that are brought into contact in a "flight-like" manner, as indicated by the "simulated system". Contact forces experienced in the active system are precisely measured and used to derive the simulated system. This paper discusses some of the dynamics and control issues pertinent to a class of these simulators. It is indicated that such systems are inherently unstable due to the presence of unavoidable transport and dynamic delays. The paper presents a novel technique for the design of a predictive interface, between the two systems, to stabilize the integrated system and achieve correct emulation of space contact dynamics. Application to the test facility at NASA/JSC is presented.
展开▼
