Robotics Dynamic Analysess

MDA engineers have developed contact model simulations for the ISS attachment mechanisms including:

• Common Berthing Mechanism
• Segment-to-Segment Attach System
• Rocketdyne Truss Attachment System
• Common Attach System

Our engineers, in conjunction with NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, utilize these models to perform detailed dynamics analysis that determine how the passive and active halves of the berthing mechanisms will interact with each other during installation.

We have integrated dynamics models of several components into the Canadarm2 simulations including the:

• Latching End Effector mechanical motion
• Joint motor inertia effects into the booms
• Arm boom flexibility

It has been found that actual on-orbit data as well as Astronaut comments indicated that the simulations provide an excellent representation of the on-orbit robotic behavior of the robot arm.