End-to-End Simulation and Verification of GNC and Robotic Systems Considering Both Space Segment and Ground Segment

Abstract

In the framework of a project called On-Orbit Servicing End-to-End Simulation, the final approach to and capture of a tumbling client satellite in an on-orbit servicing mission is simulated. The necessary components are developed and the entire chain will be tested and verified. This involves both on-board and on-ground systems. The on-board system comprises a passive client satellite, and an active service satellite with its rendezvous and berthing payload. The space segment is simulated using a software satellite simulator and two robotic, hardware-in-the-loop test beds, the European Proximity Operations Simulator (EPOS) 2.0 and the OOS-Sim. The ground segment is established as for a real servicing mission such that realistic operations can be performed from the different consoles in the control room. During the simulation of the telerobotic operation, it is important to provide a realistic communication environment with different parameters like they occur in the real-world (realistic delay and jitter for example).