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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1989

An assessment of multibody simulation tools for articulated spacecraft

A survey of multibody simulation codes was conducted in the spring of 1988, to obtain an assessment of the state of the art in multibody simulation codes from the users of the codes. This survey covers the most often used articulated multibody simulation codes in the spacecraft and robotics community. There was no attempt to perform a complete survey of all available multibody codes in all disciplines. Furthermore, this is not an exhaustive evaluation of even robotics and spacecraft multibody simulation codes, as the survey was designed to capture feedback on issues most important to the users of simulation codes. We must keep in mind that the information received was limited and the technical background of the respondents varied greatly. Therefore, only the most often cited observations from the questionnaire are reported here. In this survey, it was found that no one code had both many users (reports) and no limitations. The first section is a report on multibody code applications. Following applications is a discussion of execution time, which is the most troublesome issue for flexible multibody codes. The representation of component flexible bodies, which affects both simulation setup time as well as execution time, is presented next. Following component data preparation, two sections address the accessibility or usability of a code, evaluated by considering its user interface design and examining the overall simulation integrated environment. A summary of user efforts at code verification is reported, before a tabular summary of the questionnaire responses. Finally, some conclusions are drawn.

Man, Guy K.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A verification library for multibody simulation software

A multibody dynamics verification library, that maintains and manages test and validation data is proposed, based on RRC Robot arm and CASE backhoe validation and a comparitive study of DADS, DISCOS, and CONTOPS that are existing public domain and commercial multibody dynamic simulation programs. Using simple representative problems, simulation results from each program are cross checked, and the validation results are presented. Functionalities of the verification library are defined, in order to automate validation procedure.

Kim, Sung-Soo↗
NASA NTRS2020

Multibody Simulation of REMORA CubeSat Docking to and Pushing a Spent Rocket Booster

This paper details the multibody simulation of three phases of critical importance to the feasibility of the REMORA CubeSat space debris mitigation concept: the final approach of the CubeSat to a spent rocket booster; the grappling of the spent rocket booster using a robotic arm; and the pushing of the spent rocket booster to divert its course from another on-orbit asset. The extension of a robotic mobility and manipulation modeling toolkit (M3TK) from multibody dynamics simulation of manipulators and ground vehicles to simulation of orbital robotics is outlined. This includes the identification of the appropriate parameters required to concisely and generically describe thruster loads, thruster mixing, spacecraft control, and spacecraft navigation for the purpose of on-orbit robotics simulation. A high-level spacecraft navigator commands maneuvers to target spacecraft states. A PID spacecraft controller takes the target states and calculates desired forces and torques. A thruster mixer solves a quadratic program to determine the optimal thruster firing times for the propulsion system. Pulse width modulated actuation of eight canted cold gas thrusters is used in the simulated approach to a rocket nozzle from a distance of 200 m. A five degree of freedom robotic arm is controlled to position a pair of pincers to grasp the rocket nozzle. Contact dynamics are used to accurately simulate the grasping of the rocket nozzle by the pincers. A similar, but separate simulation is performed to assess the ability of the REMORA CubeSat to push the large spent rocket booster. This diversion maneuver makes use of an additional, larger thruster, and pushes the rocket booster in excess of 400 m. Appropriate motor control gains on the robotic arm are found to be higher during the pushing phase than those which are appropriate during free motion; this increase promotes rigidity of the arm and allows it to properly direct the pushing force. Challenges encountered in time step selection for numerical stability of the simulation are also discussed.

Mukherjee, Rudranarayan↗
NASA NTRS1994

Computationally efficient multibody simulations

Computationally efficient approaches to the solution of the dynamics of multibody systems are presented in this work. The computational efficiency is derived from both the algorithmic and implementational standpoint. Order(n) approaches provide a new formulation of the equations of motion eliminating the assembly and numerical inversion of a system mass matrix as required by conventional algorithms. Computational efficiency is also gained in the implementation phase by the symbolic processing and parallel implementation of these equations. Comparison of this algorithm with existing multibody simulation programs illustrates the increased computational efficiency.

Ramakrishnan, Jayant↗
NASA NTRS1992

Technique to eliminate computational instability in multibody simulations employing the Lagrange multiplier

A programming technique to eliminate computational instability in multibody simulations that use the Lagrange multiplier is presented. The computational instability occurs when the attached bodies drift apart and violate the constraints. The programming technique uses the constraint equation, instead of integration, to determine the coordinates that are not independent. Although the equations of motion are unchanged, a complete derivation of the incorporation of the Lagrange multiplier into the equation of motion for two bodies is presented. A listing of a digital computer program which uses the programming technique to eliminate computational instability is also presented. The computer program simulates a solid rocket booster and parachute connected by a frictionless swivel.

Watts, G.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Eliminating Computational Instability In Multibody Simulations

TWOBODY implements improved version of Lagrange multiplier method. Program ultilizes programming technique eliminating computational instability in multibody simulations in which Lagrange multipliers used. In technique, one uses constraint equations, instead of integration, to determine coordinates that are not independent. To illustrate technique, it includes simple mathematical model of solid rocket booster and parachute connected by frictionless swivel. Written in FORTRAN 77.

Watts, Gaines L.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Multibody Simulation Software Testbed for Small-Body Exploration and Sampling

G-TAG is a software tool for the multibody simulation of a spacecraft with a robotic arm and a sampling mechanism, which performs a touch-and-go (TAG) maneuver for sampling from the surface of a small celestial body. G-TAG utilizes G-DYN, a multi-body simulation engine described in the previous article, and interfaces to controllers, estimators, and environmental forces that affect the spacecraft. G-TAG can easily be adapted for the analysis of the mission stress cases to support the design of a TAG system, as well as for comprehensive Monte Carlo simulations to analyze and evaluate a particular TAG system design. Any future small-body mission will benefit from using G-TAG, which has already been extensively used in Comet Odyssey and Galahad Asteroid New Frontiers proposals.

Acikmese, Behcet↗
NASA NTRS1989

Aspects of efficient and reliable multibody system simulation

Multibody system equations can be generated in various forms. All of these may be interpreted as results of two basic approaches, the augmentation- and the elimination-method. The former method yields the descriptor form of the system motion, a set of differential-algebraic equations (DAE), and the latter the state space representation, a minimal set of ordinary differential equations (ODE). Both of these methods are surveyed. Particular emphasis is on the discussion of recursive computational schemes, generating the equations of motion with a number of operations, which is proportional to the number N of system bodies (O(N)-formulations). For simulation purposes one would like to create that set of system equations, which can be generated most efficiently and for which the most efficient and reliable solution techniques are available. Numerical solution techniques for ODE have been studied in great detail and they are well-developed. By contrast, DAE have not been investigated for such a long time. In view of new developments in the latter field the generation of all the equations required for an efficient and reliable solution of DAE describing multibody system motion is discussed. These methods, i.e., an O(N)-formulation and new techniques for solving DAE, are implemented in the SIMPACK code. Its capabilities are illustrated by simulation of multibody robot models.

Schwertassek, R.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Application of Flexible Multibody Simulations to Space Launch Systems Liftoff Pad Separation and Umbilical Disconnect

A flexible multibody dynamics approach is applied to the Space Launch System (SLS) liftoff Coupled Loads Analysis (CLA), enabling the inclusion of a large array of component nonlinearities with extreme computational efficiency. The nonlinearities include the cryogenic induced preloads due to the large rotations of the aft struts connecting the Core Stage (CS) to the boosters, the contact/separation and potential re-contact at the booster aft skirt to Mobile Launcher(ML) interface, contact/separation and potential re-contact at the ML/extensible columns interfaces, secondary disconnect of the CS umbilicals including the LOX and LH2 Tail Service Mast Umbilicals (TSMUs), and the disconnect of the upper stage umbilical, the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Umbilical (ICPSU). The ICPSU disconnect involves algorithms simulating the winch motors reeling lanyard ropes, the nonlinear modeling of ropes and hoses, the disconnect and capture of multiple umbilical ground plates by catch-nets (geometrically nonlinear models), and the large rotations of the ML gantry in order to track clearances between the lifting SLS vehicle and umbilicals rotating out of the way. The flexible multibody dynamics framework utilized for these simulations provided a systematic and efficient framework for adding complex nonlinearities at the system level which would have otherwise not been possible in standard CLAs or would have to be treated by separate local analyses thereby not accounting for the coupled system behavior.

Application↗
NASA NTRS1986

A generic multibody simulation

Described is a dynamic simulation package which can be configured for orbital test scenarios involving multiple bodies. The rotational and translational state integration methods are selectable for each individual body and may be changed during a run if necessary. Characteristics of the bodies are determined by assigning components consisting of mass properties, forces, and moments, which are the outputs of user-defined environmental models. Generic model implementation is facilitated by a transformation processor which performs coordinate frame inversions. Transformations are defined in the initialization file as part of the simulation configuration. The simulation package includes an initialization processor, which consists of a command line preprocessor, a general purpose grammar, and a syntax scanner. These permit specifications of the bodies, their interrelationships, and their initial states in a format that is not dependent on a particular test scenario.

Hopping, K. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Reduced order component models for flexible multibody dynamics simulations

Many flexible multibody dynamics simulation codes require some form of component description that properly characterizes the dynamic behavior of the system. A model reduction procedure for producing low order component models for flexible multibody simulation is described. Referred to as projection and assembly, the method is a Rayleigh-Ritz approach that uses partitions of the system modal matrix as component Ritz transformation matrices. It is shown that the projection and assembly method yields a reduced system model that preserves a specified set of the full order system modes. Unlike classical component mode synthesis methods, the exactness of the method described is obtained at the expense of having to compute the full order system modes. The paper provides a comprehensive description of the method, a proof of exactness, and numerical results demonstrating the method's effectiveness.

Tsuha, Walter S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Explicit modeling and concurrent processing in the simulation of multibody dynamic systems

The objective is to present the activities at TRW in developing the capability to simulate the behavior of large flexible multibody space structures. The features of the simulation tools are: (1) to accommodate all rigid/flexible body degrees-of-freedom which incorporate the control system models and external forces, (2) to provide the flexibility to incorporate engineering-defined models and to retain parameters of significance to the engineer, (3) to reduce the computation cost by one order of magnitude (two orders of magnitude compared to a CRAY 1S), and (4) to keep it versatile so that radical variations in anticipated space structures can be accommodated. The current computer tools to simulate multibody systems appear not only to be very costly and time consuming, but also do not produce the desired fidelity of the mathematical models. In summary, a multibody simulation tool will be developed in the near future which will allow solution of the dynamics and controls of the deployment of the LDR backup structure, or the problem associated with the robotic assembly of the structure. The tools will allow the engineer to define the modeling technique and solve problems in less time and at reduced cost.

Gluck, R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Controlled multibody dynamics simulation for large space structures

Multibody dynamics discipline, and dynamic simulation in control structure interaction (CSI) design are discussed. The use, capabilities, and architecture of the Large Angle Transient Dynamics (LATDYN) code as a simulation tool are explained. A generic joint body with various types of hinge connections; finite element and element coordinate systems; results of a flexible beam spin-up on a plane; mini-mast deployment; space crane and robotic slewing manipulations; a potential CSI test article; and multibody benchmark experiments are also described.

Housner, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Staggered solution procedures for multibody dynamics simulation

The numerical solution procedure for multibody dynamics (MBD) systems is termed a staggered MBD solution procedure that solves the generalized coordinates in a separate module from that for the constraint force. This requires a reformulation of the constraint conditions so that the constraint forces can also be integrated in time. A major advantage of such a partitioned solution procedure is that additional analysis capabilities such as active controller and design optimization modules can be easily interfaced without embedding them into a monolithic program. After introducing the basic equations of motion for MBD system in the second section, Section 3 briefly reviews some constraint handling techniques and introduces the staggered stabilized technique for the solution of the constraint forces as independent variables. The numerical direct time integration of the equations of motion is described in Section 4. As accurate damping treatment is important for the dynamics of space structures, we have employed the central difference method and the mid-point form of the trapezoidal rule since they engender no numerical damping. This is in contrast to the current practice in dynamic simulations of ground vehicles by employing a set of backward difference formulas. First, the equations of motion are partitioned according to the translational and the rotational coordinates. This sets the stage for an efficient treatment of the rotational motions via the singularity-free Euler parameters. The resulting partitioned equations of motion are then integrated via a two-stage explicit stabilized algorithm for updating both the translational coordinates and angular velocities. Once the angular velocities are obtained, the angular orientations are updated via the mid-point implicit formula employing the Euler parameters. When the two algorithms, namely, the two-stage explicit algorithm for the generalized coordinates and the implicit staggered procedure for the constraint Lagrange multipliers, are brought together in a staggered manner, they constitute a staggered explicit-implicit procedure which is summarized in Section 5. Section 6 presents some example problems and discussions concerning several salient features of the staggered MBD solution procedure are offered in Section 7.

Park, K. C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Staggered solution procedures for multibody dynamics simulation

A computational procedure is presented for the direct integration of the multibody dynamical (MBD) equations with constraints. Numerical experiments conducted with this MBD procedure indicate that it yields robust solutions in cases where the step size furnishes more than 20 samples for the period of highest apparent response frequency in a given multibody system. The MBD solution procedure is implemented in two separate modules: the generalized coordinated solver, 'CINT', and the constraint Lagrange multiplier solver, 'LINT'.

Park, K. C.↗