On-orbit system identification experiments on Engineering Test Satellite-VI

On-orbit system identification experiments were performed using the Enginee ring Test Satellite-VI (ETS-VI), launched in 1994. The purpose of the exper iments is to check the validity of a mathematical model for ETS-VI which wa s previously obtained by ground experiments. Two kinds of system identifica tion schemes are utilized. One is a traditional scheme based on polynomial black-box models such as the prediction error method, and the other is a su bspace method based on state-space models. The purpose of this paper is to compare these system identification schemes using experimental data. It wil l be shown that the subspace method proves to be promising for the system i dentification of large space structures typified by ETS-VI. (C) 1999 Elsevi er Science Lid. All rights reserved.