In recent years, computer simulators of rigid-body systems have been successfully used to improve and expand the field of developing new space robots, becoming a leading tool for the preliminary investigation and evaluation of space robotic missions. However, the impressive progress in performance has not been matched yet by an improvement in modelling capabilities, which remain limited to very basic representations of real systems. We present a new approach to modelling and simulation of collision-inclusive multibody dynamics by leveraging symbolic models generated by a computer algebra system (CAS). While similar investigations into contact dynamics on other domains exploit pre-existing models of common multibody systems (e.g., industrial robot arms, humanoids, and wheeled robots), our focus is on allowing researchers to develop models of novel designs of systems that are not as common or yet to be fabricated: e.g., small spacecraft manipulators. In this paper, we demonstrate the usefulness of our approach to investigate spacecraft-debris collision dynamics.

翻译：近年来，刚体系统计算机仿真器已成功应用于新型空间机器人的研发与拓展领域，成为空间机器人任务预研与评估的核心工具。然而，性能的显著提升尚未伴随建模能力的同步改善——当前仿真模型仍局限于对实际系统的极简表征。本文提出一种基于计算机代数系统（CAS）符号模型的多体系统含碰撞动力学建模与仿真新方法。有别于其他领域利用工业机械臂、人形机器人、轮式机器人等常见多体系统预置模型开展接触动力学研究的传统路径，我们聚焦于支持研究人员开发新型系统设计（如小型航天器机械臂）的模型——这些系统尚不常见或尚未实际制造。本文通过航天器-碎片碰撞动力学研究案例，验证了本方法的实用性。