Planar Position Control of Multi-Tethered-Robot on a Loose Net in Microgravity

This paper describes a concept of Multi-Tethered-Robot (MTR) on spinning Furoshiki-Satellite System (FSS). The concept is expected to be applied for automation of on-orbit construction of FSS. Transition of MTR to any arbitrary target point on the net surface, can be achieved by simultaneously controlling the tethers connected between the robot and the corner-fixed satellites (CFS). Due to the flexibility of the net and unfixed CFSs, many constrains make control of MTR more comlex than those of the end-tip-fixed system. This paper investigates the feasibility of MTR system through numerical simulations using descrete mass model (flexibility model). PID controller is introduced to implement control of the length and tension of tethers under the constrains.