Active vibration control of spacecraft solar panel using solid propellant microthruster array

Abstract

Active control of vibration plays a vital role in space mission. This paper proposes a method using Solid Propellant Microthruster Array (SPMA) as actuator to control vibration of solar panels. The characteristic of SPMA is introduced and an application criterion is presented. Thus, an independent modal control algorithm for SPMA is presented by elaborately analyzing the output characteristics of the SPMA. In addition, optimization criterion for reducing energy consumption is drawn, and the stability of SPMA control algorithm is proved by the Lyapunov method. Finally, simulation results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of proposed method, SPMA with independent modal control algorithm can be a promising tool for vibration suppression problems.