Dynamics Modeling and Configuration Optimization of a Flexible Transportation System Using Two Space Robots

Space robots have been considered vehicles for the assembly of large spacecraft. Space robots offer the advantage of transporting modular structures to the target positions. This article investigates the dynamics and configuration optimization of a transportation system that contains two space robots and a flexible structure. The assumed mode method is employed to describe the vibration of the flexible structure, while the dynamics is modeled by the Kane method. Based on the dynamic model, a comprehensive performance index incorporating energy consumption and vibration amplitude is proposed to optimize the capture positions of the end-effectors and the configuration of each space robot on the flexible structure. The particle swarm optimization algorithm is adopted to solve the optimization problem. Various cases involving two transportation directions, four configurations of robot manipulators, and two magnitudes of vibration amplitude metrics are investigated. Numerical simulations are conducted to verify the feasibility of the optimized placement.