Werkstudent - Masterstudent: Post-Grasping Inertial Parameter Identification of a Free-Flying Space Robot
Description:
Space Robotics will play a crucial role in enabling safe and efficient on-orbit servicing (OOS) tasks such as satellite maintenance, repair and assembly. For successful execution of these tasks, precise knowledge of the robot's inertial parameters (e.g., mass, center of mass, and inertia) is essential. However, these parameters change over time, for instance, due to fuel consumption or interaction with other spacecraft, thus requiring recalibration.
The goal of this thesis is to develop an online inertial parameter identification approach for a free-flying space robot after it has grasped an unknown load. Specifically, the focus will be on exploring the applicability of information-aware planning approaches that enable accurate online parameter identification while minimizing time and fuel consumption, enhancing the autonomy and adaptability of the system. Once an approach is developed, it will be implemented and tested in simulation. If feasible, the proposed approach will be validated on the German Aerospace Center (DLR)’s On-Orbit Servicing Simulator (OOS-Sim) for on-ground hardware-in-the-loop testing.
Requirements:
- Enrolled in a Master’s degree in robotics, computer science or a related field
- Knowledge of C++ and MATLAB/Simulink
- Bonus: Experience with robot control and dynamics and familiarity with system identification
Open position:
Working student (10 hrs/week) starting as soon as possible for a 2/3-month period, followed by a 6-month period as a Master student.