Flight Validation of a Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Flux-Pinning Spacecraft Model

Jones, Laura; Wilson, William R.; Gorsuch, Jillian; Shoer, Joseph; Peck, Mason A.

doi:10.2514/6.2011-6704

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This project implemented a FPI on a CubeSat-scale spacecraft module and flew it on NASA's Sept 30 -Oct 1 FAST microgravity flight. 19 By choosing to simulate parameters that are similar to already constructed hardware, future controller validation can easily be moved to a hardware-in-the-loop system employing the RAGNAR module and an air bearing testbed developed in Cornell's Space System Design Studio. 20 The CubeSat module has a mass of approximately 2 kg, and the inertia estimate (obtained from CAD models) is:…”

Section: Simulation Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Control Strategies Utilizing the Physics of Flux-Pinned Interfaces for Spacecraft

Jones

Peck

2011

AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Flux-Pinned Interfaces are a developing technology for spacecraft that exploit flux pinning, a phenomenon in superconducting physics, to manipulate the dynamics between two spacecraft modules. Flux pinning occurs in certain types of superconductors which, when cooled below their critical temperature, will resist changes to the distribution of magnetic flux that was present during the temperature transition. The resulting physics passively "pins" a magnetic field source in a six-degree-of-freedom equilibrium relative to the superconductor. By placing a magnetic array on one spacecraft module and a superconductor with this capability on another, it is possible to exploit these passive physics to augment technologies for close-proximity spacecraft operations such as rendezvous, docking, and formation flying. This paper investigates the use of the nonlinearities and specific physics in the flux pinning connection to develop efficient control strategies that will allow spacecraft operators to alter the equilibrium of a flux-pinned space system. Specifically, the dynamic model for flux-pinned spacecraft is presented, a set of design principles for actuators are examined with simulation plots to demonstrate the system response to various stimuli, and two potential control strategies are presented. The paper concludes with an assessment of the actuation strategies and potential advantages and disadvantages that each has to offer in the context of actual spacecraft operations.

show abstract

Section: Simulation Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Control Strategies Utilizing the Physics of Flux-Pinned Interfaces for Spacecraft

Jones

Peck

2011

AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Over the past decade, FPIs have been studied for use in formation flying [4], autonomous assembly [5], magnetic kinematic mechanisms for spacecraft deployments [6], and docking interface augmentation [7]. Research both in laboratory [8], [9], and microgravity environments [10] have led to a broad understanding of the design principles that govern this technology as well as its expected performance under a variety of circumstances. This paper extends that groundwork to the properties of a specific FPI designed to support a conceptual sample capture operation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Concept for Capturing and Docking Spacecraft with Flux-Pinned Interfaces

Zhu¹,

Peck²,

Jones-Wilson³

2020

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Flux-pinned interfaces for spacecraft leverage the physics of magnetic flux pinning to govern the dynamics betweenclose-proximity spacecraft. The behavior of this interface enables a magnet to be held at a distance in up to six degrees of freedom relative to a type-II superconductor without contact or active control systems. This behavior is the result of a magnetic potential well with an equilibrium set by designer of the interface. When applied to a conceptual sample capture scenario, this approach offers several unique advantages over traditional mechanical capture systems, including robustness to control failures and the ability to preferentially orient the capture target without mechanical keying features. However, as a passive system, it is important to characterize the depth and shape of the potential well in order to bound the acceptable relative motion between a notional spacecraft and a notional sample cache to ensure a successful capture. This paper presents the results of a series of air bearing experiments designed to determine these bounds. Extrapolating from the ground testing environment, it was determined that the FPI is expected to work at a range of 50 cm in orbit around Mars, and operates best in a path angle of 0 degrees. It can tolerate a total relative translational velocity of up to 4.7 cm/sec or a total angular rate of 24 deg/sec between a spacecraft and a sample cache.

show abstract

“…Parabolic flights enabled the collection of dynamic data from a fluxed pinned interface. Although parabolic flights offer only short periods of microgravity environment, data collected from these experiments offer highly relevant insight into the dynamics of an FPI in a space system [14] [15]. This suite of efforts steadily increases the technology readiness level of FPIs towards spaceflight adoption and implementation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flight-Experiment Validation of the Dynamic Capabilities of a Flux-Pinned Interface as a Docking Mechanism

Zhu¹,

Dominguez²,

Peck³

et al. 2020

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Flux-pinned interfaces for spacecraft leverage the physics of superconductor interactions with electromagnetism to govern the dynamics between two bodies in close-proximity. Several unique advantages over traditional mechanical capture systems include robustness to control failures, contactless reorientation of the capture target, and collision mitigation. This study describes a series of experiments performed in a microgravity environment during a parabolic-flight campaign to measure the dynamic behavior of a flux-pinned interface in a flight-traceable environment. This paper presents the performance of a flux-pinned interface in the full six degrees of freedom in terms of several quantifiable metrics: success of capture at various energetic states, momentum change, system damping, and interface stiffness of the two spacecraft bodies.

show abstract

Flight Validation of a Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Flux-Pinning Spacecraft Model

Cited by 8 publications

References 16 publications

Control Strategies Utilizing the Physics of Flux-Pinned Interfaces for Spacecraft

Control Strategies Utilizing the Physics of Flux-Pinned Interfaces for Spacecraft

A Concept for Capturing and Docking Spacecraft with Flux-Pinned Interfaces

Flight-Experiment Validation of the Dynamic Capabilities of a Flux-Pinned Interface as a Docking Mechanism

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About