Graphical Abstract
This work aims to keep the main satellite’s orbital radius of a floating partial space elevator in cargo transposition without using thrusts. Dynamic analysis found that, by adjusting the climber’s moving speed and rolling in/out of the end body, the main satellite’s orbital radius can be kept. As a result, a novel control strategy that contains a self-stability modified law is proposed to stabilize both the orbital and libration states regulating the speed of the climber only, implemented by a proportional shrinking horizon model prediction control law. The simulation results validate the proposed control strategy.
Abstract
A floating partial space elevator (PSE) is a PSE with a floating main satellite. This work aims to keep the orbital radius of the main satellite of a floating PSE in cargo transposition without the use of thrusts. A six-degree-of-freedom two-piece dumbbell model was built to analyze the dynamics of a floating PSE. By adjusting the climber’s moving speed and rolling of the end body, the main satellite’s orbital radius can be kept. A novel control strategy using a proportional shrinking horizon model predictive control law containing a self-stability modified law is proposed to stabilize both the orbital and libration states to regulate the speed of only the climber. Simulation results validated the proposed control strategy. The system provides a successful approach to the desired equilibrium by the end of the transposition.
