Shaping Inputs to Reduce Vibration in Flexible Space Structures

Future NASA plans to launch large space strucutres solicit the need for effective vibration control schemes which can solve the unique problems associated with unwanted residual vibration in flexible spacecraft. In this work, a unique method of input command shaping called impulse shaping is examined. A theoretical background is presented along with some insight into the methdos of calculating multiple mode sequences. The Middeck Active Control Experiment (MACE) is then described as the testbed for hardware experiments. These results are shown and some of the difficulties of dealing with nonlinearities are discussed. The paper is concluded with some conclusions about calculating and implementing impulse shaping in complex nonlinear systems.