Rigid-Flexible Coupling Dynamic Modeling and Vibration Control for a Three-Axis Stabilized Spacecraft

An approach is proposed to obtain the global analytical modes (GAMs) and establish discrete dynamic model with low degree-of-freedom for a three-axis attitude stabilized spacecraft installed with a pair of solar arrays. The flexible spacecraft is simplified as a hub–plate system which is a typical rigid-flexible coupling system. The governing equations of motion and the corresponding boundary conditions are derived by using the Hamiltonian principle. Describing the rigid motion and elastic vibration of all the system components with a uniform set of generalized coordinates, the system GAMs are solved from those dynamic equations and boundary conditions, which are used to discretize the equations of motion. For comparison, another discrete model is also derived using assumed mode method (AMM). Using ansys software, a finite element model is established to verify the GAM and AMM models. Subsequently, the system global modes are investigated using the GAM approach. Further, the performance of GAM model in dynamic analysis and cooperative control for attitude motion and solar panel vibration is assessed by comparing with AMM model. The discrete dynamic model based on GAMs has the capability to carry out spacecraft dynamic analysis in the same accuracy as a high-dimensional AMM model. The controller based on GAM model can suppress the oscillation of solar panels and make the control torque stable in much shorter time.