Configuration Control of Space Robots for Impact Minimization

On-orbital services of space robot are playing more and more important roles in the space operation. Nearly all space operation can not possibly avoid to contact the target. The contact and impact do not possibly avoid when the space robot captures the object. The impulse caused by impact is bad to the space robot and object. This paper derives the impact dynamic equations according to the dynamic model of space robot system and the object. We propose a genetic algorithm (GA) based on approach to search the optimal configuration of space robot at capturing moment in order to minimize or avoid the impact. An illustrative example has verified that the proposed method has satisfactory performance and real significance for reducing the impact.