Spacecraft docking simulation using hardware-in-the-loop simulator with stewart platform

A ground-based hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation system with hydraulically driven Stewart platform for spacecraft docking simulation is presented. The system is used for simulating docking process of the on-orbit spacecraft. Principle and structure of the six-degree-of-freedom simulation system are introduced. The docking process dynamic of the vehicles is modeled. Experiment results and mathematical simulation data are compared to validating the simulation system. The comparisons of the results prove that the simulation system proposed can effectively simulate the on-orbit docking process of the spacecraft.