Modeling and position control of multibody system with flexible appendages

Abstract

The objective of this work is to describe the design and the implementation of an experiment to study the dynamics and the active control of a slewing multi-link flexible structure. The experimental apparatus was designed to be representative of a flexible space structure such as a satellite with multiple flexible appendages. In this study we describe the design procedures, the analog and digital instrumentation, the analytical modeling together with model validation studies carried out through experimental modal testing and parametric system identification studies in the frequency domain. Preliminary results of a simple positional control with collocated sensor and actuator is also described. Copyright © 2003 by the International Astronautical Federation. All rights reserved.