Recent results on structural control of an active precision structure

Abstract

This paper describes recent results in structural control of an active precision truss structure at JPL. The goal is to develop practical control methodology and to apply to active truss structures intended for high precision space-based optics applications. The active structure considered incorporates piezoelectric active members which apply control forces internal to the structure and thereby improve the structure's dimensional stability. Two approaches to structural control system design were investigated. The first approach uses only noncollocated measurements of acceleration at the location of a simulated optical component to achieve structural stabilization. The second approach is essentially the same as the first one except that a viscous damper was used in place of a truss member on the structure to improve the dampings of selected flexible modes. The corresponding experimental closed-loop results are presented in this paper.