A number of areas of research and laboratory experiments were identified which could lead to development of a cost efficient remote, disable satellite recovery system. Estimates were planned of disabled satellite motion. A concept is defined as a Tumbling Satellite Recovery kit which includes a modular system, composed of a number of subsystem mechanisms that can be readily integrated into varying combinations. This would enable the user to quickly configure a tailored remote, disabled satellite recovery kit to meet a broad spectrum of potential scenarios. The capability was determined of U.S. Earth based satellite tracking facilities to adequately determine the orientation and motion rates of disabled satellites

Cable, D. A.

Cathcart, J. A.

Derocher, W. L., Jr.

Keeley, M. G.

Madayev, L.

Nguyen, T. K.

Preese, J. R.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

MCR8&1329 
NAS8-36609 
' - OPO-854 
O R 4 7  
Volume II 
* Final Technical 
Report June 1986 
Supporting Research and 
Technology Report 
6 
c 
Concept Definition 
Study for Recovery 
of Tumbling 
Satellites 
__ 
(BASA-C3-)19229) COUCEPT DEFIUITfObl STPOP N88-14117 
2: SUPPORTING BESEARCH M D  TECHNOLOGY PBPORT F i n a l  Technical  Report {Hart in  Harietta Unclas 
Aerospace) 13 p C S C L  228 G3/18 0114848 
FOR RECOVERY OF TWHBLIYG SATELLITES. , VOLBBE 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19880004735 2020-03-20T09:02:22+00:00Z
MCR-86-1329 
Contract NAS8-36609 
DPD-654 
DR-6,7 
Volume I I  
Final 
Technical 
Report June 1986 
Supporting Research and 
Technology Report 
CONCEPT DEFINITION STUDY 
FOR RECOVERY OF 
TUMBLING SATELLITES 
Prepared for: 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Marshail Space Flight Center 
Alabama 35812 
Prepared by: 
0. A. Cable 
W. L. Deftocher, Jr. 
J. A. Cathcart 
M. G. Keeley 
L. Madayev 
T. K. Nguyen 
J. R. Preese 
Program Manager 
- MARTIN MARIETTA 
DENVER AEROSPACE 
P. 0. Box 179 
Denver, Colorado 80201 
FOREWORD 
; 
This document was prepared by Mart i  n Mar ie t ta  Corporation under cont rac t  
NAS8-36609, Concept D e f i n i t i o n  Study f o r  Recovery o f  Tumbling Sa te l l i t es ,  Data 
Procurement Document 654 t o  f u l f i l l  the requirements o f  Data Requirement 6, 
Volune 1, F ina l  Study Report, and Data Requi rement 7, Volume 11, Supporting 
Research and Technology Report. 
C. Marshall Space F l i g h t  Center o f  the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administrat ion under the technical d i r e c t i o n  o f  Mr. Herbert Lenox and M r .  
Stephen B. Hal l ,  as Contract Technical Managers. 
This e f f o r t  was accomplished f o r  the George 
ii 
CONTENTS 
3 
Page 
i 
i i  
i i i  
Title Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Foreword ...... .... .... ..... ..... ............ ........ ... 
Table o f  Contents  . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... .. . . . .. . . . . .. . 
1.0 SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY REPORT . ............. 1-1 
1.1 1-1 
1.2 1-1 
1.3 1-3 
1.4 Contact Dynamics between Recovery System and Target .... 1-4 
1.5 1-6 
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Deployment Dynamics o f  Capture Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operator Control Capabi 1 i ty  Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
P1 anni ng Estimates o f  D i  sabled Sate1 l i  te Moti on . . . . . . . . 
iii 
1.0 SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY REPORT 
1 
1 .l Introduct ion e 
The Supporting Research and Technology (SR&T) Report f o r  the Tumbli ng 
S a t e l l i t e  Recovery (TSR) conceptual d e f i n i t i o n  stuQ i s  presented i n  the Data 
Requirements Descr ipt ion format provided i n  Data Procurement Document 
(DPD)-654. 
Def in i t ion,  t o  take advantage o f  the close associat ion between the conceptual 
design e f f o r t  i n  t h i s  task and the constant need to assess the technology 
s tatus o f  any new systems o r  components under consideration during conceptual 
design. 
The SR&T repor t  was prepared as a subtask o f  Task 2, Concept 
The MMDA study team d i d  not i d e n t i f y  any problem amas requi r i n g  new 
state-of- the-art  technology development i n i t i a t i v e s .  
number of areas where research and laboratory experiments could support 
resolut ion o f  technology issues t h a t  could lead t o  development o f  a cos t  
e f f i c i e n t  remote, disabled s a t e l l i t e  recovery system. 
They d i d  i den t i f y  a 
. The SR&T repor t  includes t i t l e ,  status information, j u s t i f i c a t i o n ,  technical  
plan, resource requi rements data and target  schedule, wherein it was feas ib le  
i n  regard t o  the low level  o f  e f f o r t  d i rected f o r  t h i s  task by the Contract 
Technical Monitor. 
1 . 2  P1 anni na Estimates o f  D i  sabl ed Sate1 1 i t e  Motion 
A )  T i t l e  - Planning Estimates o f  Disabled S a t e l l i t e  Motion. 
8)  Status - Przsent capabi li t y  unknown. 
are avai lable t o  generate estimate o f  capab i l i t y .  
Equipment and t r a i  ned personnel 
1-1 
C.) J u s t i f i c a t i o n  - The MMC conceptual d e f i n i t i o n  o f  a TSR k i t  includes a 
modular system, composed of a number o f  subsystem mechanisms t h a t  can 
be read i l y  in tegrated i n t o  varying combinations. 
the user t o  quickly conf igure a t a i l o r e d  remote, disabled s a t e l l i t e  
recovery k i t  t o  meet a broad spectrum o f  po ten t ia l  scenarios. 
Mission planners w i l l  requi re  s a t e l l i t e  o r i en ta t i on  and motion data 
on each Emote, disabled s a t e l l i t e  t o  determine what mix o f  equipment 
i s  required f o r  each spec i f i c  mission. 
This w i l l  enable 
D )  Technical Plan 
1 Objectives - Determine the capab i l i t y  of U.S. earth-based 
s a t e l l i t e  t rack ing f a c i l i t i e s  t o  adequately det2rmine the 
o r i  en ta t i  on and moti on rates o f  d i  sabled sate1 1 i tes. 
2 )  Technical Approach - Request t h a t  a supporting study be 
conducted f o r  NASA by the U.S. Space Comnand t o  meet the stated 
object1 ve. 
E )  Resource Requi rements 
3 )  
Manpower - Manpower estimate i s  one man year f o r  FY 87, one man 
year f o r  FY 88. 
Specialized F a c i l i t i e s  - F a c i l i t i e s  ex is t .  
data can be obtained by Haystack Radar a t  Westford, MA; 
laboratory and computer f a c i l i t i e s  are avai lab le a t  L incoln 
Laboratory i n  Lexi ngton, MA. 
S a t e l l i t e  t rack ing  
Funding - Funding requi rements equate t o  two manyears o f  c i  v i  1 
service engineering leve l  d i r e c t  labor, estimated a t  $200,000. 
F) Target Schedule - The requi red analysis i s  schedule constrained, 
based on personnel a v a i l a b i l i t y .  
e f f o r t  i s  two years. 
The estimated durat ion o f  the study 
e 
1-2 
1.3 Deployment Dynamics o f  Capture Device 
T i t l e  - Deployment Dynamics o f  Capture Device 
Status - These analyses have not  been conducted previously. The 
technical  understanding o f  the ana ly t i ca l  processes requi red t o  
conduct the study and develop the softwam i s  high. 
J u s t i f i c a t i o n  - The deployment o f  a lengthy, cant i levered extend1 b le  
boom and envelopment grapple mechanism that changes i t s  shape, and 
the spin-up o f  t h i s  system w i l l  produce momentum e f f e c t s  and 
s t ruc tu ra l  modes t h a t  must be determi ned to evaluate the po ten t ia l  
impact on OMV a t t i t u d e  contro l  capacity. 
Technical Plan 
1) object ives - The object ive of  t h i s  study e f f o r t  i s  t o  model the 
momentum e f fec ts  and s t ruc tu ra l  modes o f  a TSR k i t  mated t o  an 
OMV t r ans fe r  w h i c l e  and t o  evaluate the capacity o f  OMV t o  
contro l  t h i s  recovery system during deployment, conf igurat ion 
changes, and spi n-up. 
2 )  Technical Approach - Develop a set o f  o f f l i n e  (non-real-time) 
softwam simulat ion programs t o  model. (1  ) the momentum e f fec ts  
o f  boom deployment, grapple mecnanisnr deployment and spin-up o f  
systems t o  5-50 rpm, (2) the s t ruc tura l  modes o f  t h i s  inherent ly  
f l ex ib le  recovery system, and ( 3 )  the resu l tan t  impact o f  W t h  
on OMV control  capabi 1 i ty .  
Resource Requi rements 
1 )  Manpower - Manpower estimate i s  twelve man months. 
2)  Special ized F a c i l i t i e s  - Computer f a c i l i t i e s  e x i s t  a t  MSFC and 
MMC, programs can be wr i t t en  i n  transportable manner. 
1-3 
3- 
3 )  Funding - Funding requi rements a= twelve man months o f  d i  r e c t  
engineering labor  estimated a t  $100,000 and $10,000 i n  computer 
costs. 
. 
F) Target Schedule - The 
based on avai l a b i  1 i ty 
durat ion o f  the study 
requi red analysi s i s  schedule constrained, 
o f  personnel and funding. 
e f f o r t  i s  s i x  months. 
The estimated 
1.4 Contact Dynamics Between Recovery System and Target 
T i t l e  - Contact Dynamics Between Recovery System and Target 
Status - Tests are required t o  deterinire forces, torques and 
resu l tan t  pos i t i on  changes o f  ta rge t  and recovery devices caused by 
contact  between ta rge t  and recovery systems dur ing recovery 
operations. These t e s t s  have not been conducted previously. The 
general understanding o f  the ana ly t i ca l  processes reaui red t o  conduct 
t h i s  a c t i v i t y  i s  f a i r .  
J u s t i f i c a t i o n  - The complex in te rac t ions  between a spinning object  
and a device attempting t o  match spin ra te  and phase angle with the  
spinning object  a f t e r  the i n i t i a l  contact  has been made have not been 
examined. The resu l tan t  forces and motions may be s i g n i f i c a n t  enough 
t o  impact the conceptual design'of  the eventual recovery system. 
Technical Plan 
1 ) Objective - The overa l l  ob ject ive i s  t o  model the forces and 
torques and resu l tan t  pos i t iona l  cnanges induced by contact  
dynamics created by requi red contact w i th  a ta rge t  p r i o r  t o  
r i g i d i  t a t i o n  o f  target/recovery system. 
support: determination o f  potent i  a1 ta rge t  damage assessment; 
forces imposed/structural requi rements on recovery system; 
determination o f  type o f  recovery grapple inechanism (gr ipper  vs 
enveloper); and assessment o f  OMV a t t i t u d e  contro l  system 
adequacy f o r  t h i s  phase o f  the recovery mission. 
These models w i  11 
1-4 
Technical Approach - The i n i t i a l  modeling phase rjbuld include 
development of software s imulat ion packages t o  model a l l  contact  
dynamics forces and torques between a spinning ta rge t  and a spin 
ra te  matching recovery system. 
valuable approximations o f  the scale o f  f o x e s  and torques 
created by contact  dur ing recovery operations and o f  resu l tan t  
r e l a t i v e  moti on. 
This e f f o r t  w i l l  provide 
A fol low-on act ivi ty would include deuelopment o f  hardware 
equipment capable o f  phys ica l ly  performing a recovery ac t i  v i t y  
w i t h  spinning ta rge t  and recovery device. This task would 
require bui ld ing a scaled, composite o f  the fu tu re  recovery 
ta rge t  mission model. A mockup o f  a representative recovery 
system would also be b u i l t  w i th  load sensors on the grapple 
mechanism. The hardware load c e l l  array would be integrated 
i n t o  the real t ime software simulat ion t o  enable measurement of 
contact  torques and forces. OMV/TSR and ta rge t  states would 
then be generatsd i n  real  t i m e  and with t h i s  data, estimates of 
new re la t i ve  pos i t ions could be generated. 
The hardware demonstration u n i t  w i l l  re f ine  the estimates of 
po ten t ia l  ta rge t  damage, s t ruc tu ra l  requirements of  the recovery 
system and potent ia l  impacts on OMV a t t i t ude  contro l  
raqui rements f o r  t h i  s m i  ssi on. 
The resu l ts  produced from these t es ts  will provide c l a r i t y  t o  
questions re la ted t o  the potent ia l  need f o r  zero-gravity tests 
re la ted  t o  recovery system contact dynamics. 
Phase 1 - Software Simulations 
E )  Resource Requi rements 
1 )  Manpower - Manpower estimate i s  18 man months. 
2 )  Special ized F a c i l i t i e s  - Computer f a c i l i t i e s  e x i s t  a t  MSFC and 
a t  MdC, programs can be wr i t t en  i n  transportable manner. 
1-5 
3 )  Funding - Funding estimate i s  f o r  18 man k n t h s  o f  d i r e c t  
engineering labor  a t  $150,000 and $20,000 i n  computer costs. 
F) Target Schedule - The required analysis i s  schedule constrained, 
based on a v a i l a b i l i t y  of personnel and funding. 
of the study e f f o r t  i s  12 months. 
Estimated dura t ion  
Phase 2 - Hardware Simulations 
I E) Resource Requi rements 
1 ) Manpower - Manpower estimate i s  3.5 man years t o  design and 
b u i l d  hardware and software, and in tegrate and t e s t  the 
s i  mu1 a t i  on system. 
2 )  Specialized F a c i l i t i e s  - F a c i l i t i e s  e x i s t  both a t  MSFC and a t  
MMC. 
3 )  Funding - Funding estimate i s  3.5 man years o f  d i r e c t  
mater i  a1 , and computer costs. 
I engineering labor  a t  $350,000 and $150,000 i n  equipment, 
F )  Target Schedule - This hardware and software development i s  scnedule 
constrained, and should be accomplished a f t e r  Phase 1 nas been 
completed. The a c t i v i t y  would be accomplished during a 15-month 
I pe ri od. 
1 .5 Ope r a t o r  Control Capabi 1 i t y  Assessments 
A) - T i t l e  - Operator Control Capabi l i ty  Assessments 
B )  Status - These types o f  t e s t s  nave been conducted on a very l i m i t e d  
scale. Tests are required t o  determine the s a t e l l i t e  recovery 
operator cont ro l  c a p a b i l i t y  requi red t o  conduct disabled s a t e l l i t e  
operations and t o  i d e n t i f y  needed supporting hardware. Simulat ion 
f a c i l i t i e s  e x i s t  and have been operational f o r  over one year. 
f 
1-6 
C) J u s t i f i c a t i o n  -' Previously conducted tes ts  on re la ted  b M V  and Manned 
Maneuvering U n i t  (MMU) tes ts  have ind icated t h a t  operator workload on 
much simpler tasks i s  very high, due to c m u n i c a t i o n s  delay i n  
on-orbi t  te leoperat ions and d i f f i c u l t y  i n  performing operations 
requi ri ng preci s i  on a1 i gnnent o f  mec hani SIRS when trans1 a t i  on and 
r o t a t i  on actions are goi ng on simultaneously. Sate1 1 ite recovery 
operations include t rans la t i on  to the target, sp in  ax is  alignment, 
spin ra te  matching and grapple closure, performed i n  the environment 
o f  contact dynamics inhemnt  i n  conducting a r i g i d  grapple o f  a 
spi nni ng sate1 1 i t e  . 
< 
a 
D )  Technical Plan 
1 )  Objective - The object ive of  t h i s  task i s  t o  assess the 
capab i l i t i es /  l i m i t a t i o n s  o f  operators conducting teleoperated 
s a t e l l i t e  recovery operations. The tes ts  w i l l  include 
evaluat ion of the operations capab i l i t y  t o  i d e n t i f y  the 
pos i t i on  of  the ta rge t  spacecraft 's spin axis, the a P i l i t y  t o  
a l i g n  the TSR k i t  axis w i t h  the ta rge t  spin axis, the a b i l i t y  t o  
match spin ra te and to synchronize or phase the pos i t ion  of  the 
recovery system grapple mechanism with the spinning target.  
re la ted  object ive i s  t o  evaluate mission complexity t o  determine 
whether the OMV and TSR k i t  operation w i l l  require one o r  more 
operators. I n  addit ion, t h i s  analysis e f f o r t  w i l l  provide 
i n s i g h t  on the type o f  sensors needed, the types o f  d isplays 
requi red, coordinate transformati ons needed t o  p r o v i  de optimum 
ta rge t  views, methods o f  compensating f o r  t i m e  delays, and will  
support development o f  an overa l l  operations philosophy. 
A 
2) Technical Approach - The i n i t i a l  phases o f  t h i s  test w i l l  be 
conducted w i th  computer graphic simulations. The computer 
operator cont ro ls  and displays f o r  both the OMV and the TSR k i t  
w i l l  Se optimally collocated. A n igh f i d e l i t y  model o f  a 
composite target,  from the TSR mission model assessment, w i l l  be 
produced. The computer simulat ion w i l l  inc lude s o l i d  models 
w i th  c o l l i s i o n  detect ion software t o  enable modeling of 
contacts.. A h igh f i d e l i t y  model o f  the recovery systems w i l l  k 
b u i l t  i n t o  the simulat ion software. 
1 -7 
A ser ies of  recovery scenarios wi 11 be coiducteh usi ng varying 
ta rge t  model tumble or ien ta t ions  and rates. The ta rge t  center 
o f  mass w i l l  be var ied t o  challenge the operator(s) a b i l i t y  t o  
determi ne the pos i t i on  of the spin axi s. 
i n i t i a l  condi t ions will be varied t o  provide a l te rna t ive  
approach t r a j e c t o r i e s  t o  challenge spin ax1 s pos i t i on  
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n  and spin ax is  aligrment by the operator dur ing 
t rans i  t. 
rates wi 11 support detenni n a t i  on of operator 15 m i  t a t i  ons i n 
deal ing w i th  mu l t i -ax is  spin, appendage avoidance, and high sp in 
rates. 
Recovery scenario 
Vari a t i  ons i n  ta rge t  tumble/spin o r i en ta t i on  and spi n 
A second phase o f  TSR operator cont ro l  capab i l i t y  assessment 
w i l l  invo lve development o f  a hardware model t o  conduct s i m i l a r  
tests.  The hardware model recornended i n  Paragraph 1.4 o f  t h i s  
volume w i l l  be designed t o  accommodate t h i s  category of test ing.  
One o f  the benef i ts  t o  be derived from hardware simulation, over 
softwan! simulation, i s  t h a t  the operator receives a more 
r e a l i s t i c  view o f  what w i l l  be present i n  an actual recovery 
mission. I n  addi t ion,  observers can be placed i n  d i f f e r e n t  
pos i t ions  t o  oversee the operation, and they would have an 
improved, r e a l i s t i c  view of the t e s t  and exercises. 
w i t h  the use o f  load c e l l  arrays, the t e s t  team can measure . 
fo rc2s ,  view (and ca lcu late and display f o r  the operator) actual 
r e l a t i v e  displacements and more accurately respond t o  the 
react ions created by the contacts betseen ta rge t  and recovery 
sy stem. 
F ina l l y ,  
I n  t h i s  two-phase t e s t  Series, a numDer o f  Rcovery system 
operations assessments w i l l  a lso be conducted, 
w i l l  & designed t o  enable assessment o f  mission operations 
t imelines, of p rope l lan t  usage rates and desp in /s tab i l i za t ion  
rates and t i m e  requi red t o  complete the various operations. 
po ten t ia l  f o r  plume impingement on the ta rge t  ex i s t s  and thus 
w i l l  be modeled and evaluated. Another operations re la ted  
recovery issue per ta ins t o  grapple mechanism pos i t ion ing  e r ro r .  
The existence o f  various l eve l s  o f  OMV deadband (accuracy w i t h i n  
The experiment 
The 
1-8 
OMV operator 411, p i t c h  and yaw c a p a b i l i t i e s )  c;n be modeled 
and introduced i n  both the computer graphic and hardware 
simulat ion assessment tests. These simulat ion setups can be 
l a t e r  expanded and used f o r  continuing concept evaluat ion and 
eventual ly f o r  operator t r a i  n i  ng. 
Phase 1 - Software Simulations 
Resource Reaui mments 
1 )  Manpower - Manpower estimate i s  12 man months i f  done a t  MMC 
wi th  exi  s t i ng  hardware and software. 
2) Specialized F a c i l i t i e s  - F a c i l i t i e s  ex is t .  
3)  Funding - Funding estimate i s  12 man months o f  d i r e c t  
engineering labor a t  $100,000 and $10,000 i n  computer costs. 
Target Schedule - The required analysis i s  schedule constrained. 
Estimated duration o f  the- analysis i s  8 months. 
Phase 2 - Hardware Simulations 
E )  Resource Requi rements 
1 ) Manpower - Manpower estimate i s  12 man months. 
2)  Specialized F a c i l i t i e s  - F a c i l i t i e s  e x i s t  a t  MSFC and MMC. 
Hardware and software developed i n  recommended Task 1.4 would be 
used f o r  t h i s  analysis. 
3)  Funding - Funding i s  estimated a t  12 man months o f  d i r e c t  
engineering labor, a t  $100,000 and $10,000 i n  computer costs. 
F) Target Schedule - The required analysis i s  scnedule constrained. It 
would be i n i t i a t e d  fo l lowing completion o f  hardware/software 
simulat ion system developed i n  Task 1.4, and would be completed i n  
e i g h t  months. 
1-9 


Concept definition study for recovery of tumbling satellites. Volume 2: Supporting research and technology report

Concept definition study for recovery of tumbling satellites. Volume 2: Supporting research and technology report

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