Dynamic Analysis of Space Station Freedom Assembly via Continuum Modeling

The initial assembly of Space Station Freedom involves the Space Shuttle and its remote manipulating system (RMS), modeling and analysis of which is made formidable by kinematic and joint nonlinearities. In this paper, continuum models are used instead of finite element models because of the improved accuracy, reduced number of system parameters, the avoidance of the model order reduction and the ability to represent the structural dynamics and control system dynamics in the same system of equations. The continuum modeling approah is seen to offer an alternative to finite element modeling.