To expand humanity's capability to survive and thrive in-space, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is investing in the development of robotic assembly systems that will streamline the process of manufacturing and maintaining human habitats and other scientific research tools in-space. Due to its repeated successful use in the aeronautics and astronautics research fields, the Langley Standard Real-time Simulation in C++ (LaSRS++) framework-a high-fidelity aircraft and spacecraft simulation framework developed at NASA Langley Research Center — is an excellent candidate for modeling the dynamics of these robotic in-space assembly systems. To increase vehicle modeling flexibility in LaSRS++, changes are made to its dynamic equations of motion and mass property calculations in order to account for conservation of angular momentum of a vehicle with no external moments or forces explicitly provided and a changing inertia tensor. Tests are developed to ensure all changes to the framework behave as expected, including the dynamic testing of a low-fidelity, shape-changing, in-space robotic vehicle. The results of the tests show that angular momentum of the vehicle is conserved during operation, the added capabilities to the framework are valid, and therefore they can be implemented when modeling higher-fidelity in-space robotic mechanisms in LaSRS++. Future improvements may be made by adjusting the mass property computation method to accommodate forward kinematic modeling of robotic manipulators, as well as creating a vehicle model for the Langley-developed Tension Actuated Lightweight In-Space MANipuIator (TALISMAN). The new capabilities added to the LaSRS++ simulation framework will allow researchers to easily model the dynamic behavior of robotic in-space assembly systems prior to launch and deployment, reducing operational risks and ensuring mission success.
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