Dynamic modeling and analysis of satellite detumbling using a brush type contactor based on flexible multibody dynamics

• The analytical and numerical dynamic model of satellite detumbling system using a brush contactor are established. • Influence of several model parameters on detumbling effects is investigated. • An approximate criterion of brush detachment is proposed using a simplified model. A brush type contactor has been proposed to detumble non-cooperative space targets. Current researches mainly focused on the control schemes and their validations, whereas the dynamic modeling is rarely investigated. In this paper, both the analytical formulation and the numerical approach are employed to establish the dynamic model of the detumbling system. An analytical formula is proposed to evaluate the detumbling efficiency from the aspect of energy. The numerical simulation is conducted using flexible multibody dynamics and the contact theory. The analytical results and the numerical results are compared and the influence of various model parameters on dynamic behaviors is studied. It shows that the detumbling efficiency can be significantly affected by several factors, including the stiffness and length of the brush, the end velocity of the contactor, the contact angle, and the contact position. The detachment phenomenon of the brush from the solar panel is investigated. A criterion for the detachment is proposed and verified by numerical simulations.