Smooth Planning for Free-floating Space Robots Using Polynomials

Free-floating space manipulator systems, have spacecraft actuators turned off and exhibit nonholonomic behavior due to angular momentum conservation. A path planning methodology for planar free– floating space manipulator systems is developed that allows simultaneous manipulator end-point and spacecraft attitude control using manipulator actuators only. The method is based on mapping the angular momentum to a space where it can be satisfied trivially. Smooth and continuous functions such as polynomials are employed driving the system to a desired configuration. It is shown that the method allows for smooth configuration changes in finite and prescribed time, without requiring small cyclical motions. Limitations are discussed and examples are presented.