CONCURRENT MECHANISM AND CONTROL DESIGN FOR THE SLEWING OF FLEXIBLE SPACE STRUCTURES

An integrated single-step design approach to the synthesis of a mechan ical device and an active controller is presented for slew maneuvers o f flexible space structures. A mechanical device consists of a noncirc ular gear pair that acts as a varying gear ratio transmission between an electro-mechanical actuator and a flexible structure. Such a system has been introduced as an analytical application in minimizing flexur al vibrations in the slewing maneuver of flexible space structures suc h as large solar panels and satellites in space. Only a simple regulat or-type feedback controller is called for to control this complex elec tro-mechanical-and-structural system and the purpose is to design this complex system in an integrated procedure to achieve low flexural vib rations of the structure. Numerical simulations of the slewing control tasks for a planar articulated double-beam structure are presented.