Compensability of end-effector motion errors and evaluation of manipulability for flexible space robot arms

A concept of compensability is developed for free-floating flexible space robot arms. This concept is based on a methodology where end-effector behavior caused by the link flexible behavior and the satellite motion in response to the arm motion is considered as errors in the end-effector motion. The errors have to be compensated by the joint behavior. The author gives a kinematic model for n-link flexible space robot arms. Based on the results, compensability, a theorem and lemma regarding conditions for the compensability, and a measure of the compensability are derived. A new method to evaluate the capability of manipulation of the flexible space robot arms also is presented