Coordinated Planning Methodology for Semi-free-floating Dual-arm Space Robots

This paper focuses on coordinated planning methodology for semi-free-floating dual-arm space robots. Firstly, the kinematics and dynamics model of the semi-free-floating space manipulator is derived, where the base motion is eliminated at the acceleration level. Secondly, a novel artificial potential function is also proposed to describe the attitude constraints of the base. Then based on null-space theory, a trajectory planning framework for semi-free-floating space manipulators is proposed. The base pointing constraints are incorporated into the planning framework. Finally, to track the designed end-effector trajectory, a simulation for path planning is conducted using the proposed method. The results show that the proposed path planning method can track the desired end-effector trajectory effectively and satisfy different constraints at the same time. Since the proposed method in this paper does not rely on the assumptions of momentum conservation, it is still available when the end-effector is subjected to external forces.