Optimal configuration for dual-arm space robot grasping a tumbling target based on task compatibility

This paper presents a method to determine the optimal configuration for a dual-arm space robot grasping a tumbling target. In contrast to the existing studies that focus on static targets, this paper selects configurations based on task compatibility to achieve fast stabilization of tumbling targets. First, the kinematics and dynamics task compatibility is derived as metrics to evaluate the manipulability of the dual-arm space robot. Second, a cooperative workspace under a closed kinematic chain is generated to describe the reachability of the target manipulated by a dual-arm space robot. Then, the task compatibility along the target tumbling direction is calculated for all the configurations in the cooperative workspace, considering the field-of-view constraint of the camera to create constrained capability maps. Subsequently, the optimal configuration of the dual-arm space robot is selected from the constrained capability maps. In this way, the space robot is able to eliminate the tumbling motion of the target with its maximum manipulability and successfully complete the grasping task. Simulation and experiment are conducted to verify the feasibility of the proposed method.