Developing algorithms for efficient simulation of flexible space manipulator operations

A brief description is given of the European Robot Arm (ERA), and its intended application to assembly, maintenance and servicing of the Russian segment of the International Space Station Alpha. The need for manipulator simulation is recalled, and ERA simulator development is outlined. System characteristics that must be modelled for incorporation in the dynamics kernel for the simulator are mentioned. A brief review is presented of efficient Order-N³ and Order-N algorithms for the simulation of manipulator dynamics. Parenthetically the existence of a link between Kane's method, the natural orthogonal complement method, and Jourdain's principle is indicated. An algorithm of the Order-N type has then been developed and implemented in the ERA simulation facility. Some numerical results are presented, displaying accuracy as well as computational efficiency.