Advanced Path Planning System of Free-Floating Space Manipulator for On-Orbit Observation

Robotic on-orbit servicing (OOS) is the key to the development of the space frontier as a major element in space infrastructure. This paper discusses the concept of OOS and introduces the categories of OOS including assembly, maintenance and upgrade. This paper also demonstrates the process of on-orbit observation. A system model for the space manipulator system is established, and the kinematic equation of such manipulator system is established as well. Point-to-point trajectory planning in joint space is also studied in this paper based on Newton-Raphson method. The approach could guarantee that the manipulator end-effector reaches the desired point. In this paper, the authors have limited discussions within the simulation and 6-DOF FFSM point-to-point planning problems, whereas the adoption of such strategy will provide the possibility and basis for further application of the space manipulator system in free-floating mode to some extent.