Parameter Identification Methods for Free-Floating Space Robots with direct Torque Sensing

In this paper we address the problem of parameter identification for free-floating space robots equipped with torque sensors. For the problem formulation we use two different methods. The first uses measurements of the acceleration of the base body, while the second doesn't. These two torque dependent methods are compared with those based on the conservation of momentum or conservation of energy. The addressed identification problems relate to the base body, to the grasped target on the end effector or to both together. Furthermore the influence of orbital disturbances on the identification accuracy is addressed. The feasibility of the torque sensing methods is shown in simulation with addition of sensor noise and it results that the method which does not use the base body acceleration is the most accurate.