Validation of A Satellite Docking Simulator using the SOSS Experimental Testbed

This paper describes an R&D project aimed at experimentally validating a generic contact-dynamics toolkit in a Simulink based satellite docking simulator. The simulation software was developed to support the design and verification of the space station robotic systems and several satellite on-orbit robotic servicing systems. The hardware experiment was performed using an air-bearing supported docking testbed specially designed for testing different docking and capture mechanisms. Simulation model parameters were separately identified from the hardware. The simulation results compare favourably with the measured experimental data, which demonstrates the validity of the simulator and increases the confidence of using the simulator for design of various robotics-based satellite servicing missions such as the shuttle-return-to- flight, orbital express, and the potential hubble telescope robotic repair missions