Estimation of Full Dynamic Parameters of Large Space Debris Based on Rope Net Flexible Collision and Vision

The identification of space debris’s dynamic parameters is a prerequisite for detumbling and capture operations. In this paper, a novel method for identifying dynamic parameters based on the rope net flexible collision and vision data is proposed, which combines the advantages of full dynamic parameter estimation (contact method) and safety (non-contact method). The point cloud data before and after collision is obtained by LiDAR, and the transformation matrix of point clouds and debris motion data are calculated by point cloud registration. Before the collision, using the motion model-based optimization, the real-time position of the debris center of mass is estimated. And the transformation matrix between visual and debris-fixed coordinates are calculated by the mass center position and transformation matrix of the point cloud. Then, using the debris dynamic model and parameters’ characteristics, the normalized dynamic parameters are estimated. An identification method of net node position changes based on the flexible collision characteristics of rope nets is proposed, which is used to obtain the momentum of the rope net after the collision. Based on the conservation of linear momentum and angular momentum of the satellite-net system, the true values of the mass and the principal moment of inertia of the debris are estimated. The true values of the kinetic energy and momentum can be obtained by substituting the true values of the principal moment of inertia into the normalized parameters, and the full dynamic parameters of large space debris is estimated. Simulations of identifying full dynamic parameters have been performed; the results indicate that this method can provide accurate and real-time true values of dynamic parameters for the detumbling and capture mission.