The effect of payload impact on the dynamics of a space robot

The effect of payload collision on the dynamics of a spacecraft-manipulator system is studied. To simulate the post-impact dynamics of the spacecraft-manipulator-payload system, initial conditions are derived from the payload impact model. The dynamical model for the post-impact dynamics is derived using the Lagrangian formulation, by writing Lagrange's equations for the individual bodies, and then assembling them to obtain the constrained dynamical equations of the system. The nonworking constraint wrenches are then eliminated by using the natural orthogonal complement, which produces a set of independent dynamical equations. Simulation results for two impact scenarios are presented.