Ground Based Evaluation of Control Structure Interaction for Space Structures with Adaptive Controllers

Control Structure Interaction in space structures can involve parasitic dynamics which can limit system performance and reliability for autonomous, long duration missions. Next generation spacecraft will rely on multiple actuators and sensors interacting with advanced lightweight structures to affect autonomous and highly agile response to maneuver commands for tracking, pointing, and articulation of payload system apertures. Ground based testing will play an important role in the development of such systems. Techno-Sciences will test and evaluate incipient nonlinear Control Structure Interaction dynamics. Test procedure protocol will be based on modern analysis of nonlinear dynamics focused on the observation that mode-locking, an inherently nonlinear dynamic phenomenon, is readily detectable in ground based testing and is useful in prediction and analysis of system failure modes resulting from incipient nonlinear CSI.