Expertise in modeling and control of space systems
The founders of DYCSYT are recognized by the international GNC community for their expertise in the modeling and control of space systems, and in particular for their long experience in responding to ESA calls for tender.
We offer consulting services: technical support, customized R&D studies, and we are open to collaboration on calls for projects: ESA ITTs, CNES R&T proposals…
Modeling
The development of SDTlib has been driven by our research into the modeling of flexible and multi-body structures. Based on the TITOP(Two-Input Two-Output Port) formalism thus developed, SDTlib produces a high-fidelity model of system dynamics, taking into account flexible dynamics, parametric uncertainties, complex mechanisms and all couplings.
Robust control
Modern robust control tools make it possible to evaluate and optimize performance right from the start of a project, by taking account of model uncertainties directly in the controller synthesis. This speeds up the design and validation of the GNC/AOCS system, and even unlocks technical deadlocks where traditional methods fail.
Service in orbit
Our modeling and robust control methods are particularly useful for in-orbit service missions: modeling docking mechanisms, taking into account translation/rotation couplings, inertia variations during robotic handling of a target satellite, in-orbit assembly….
Precision pointing
Our work has been largely motivated by the development of high-precision pointing missions: modeling and active control of microvibrations, disturbance rejection, flexible dynamics, pointing performance assessment, controller optimization, comparison of control architectures…
Verification and Validation (V&V) of space systems
According to NASA, in a typical satellite project, 80% of GNC time is dedicated to V&V (as opposed to design itself), due to the increasing complexity of space systems.
As a result, NASA and ESA have set up numerous initiatives within the international GNC community – R&D project funding, GNC V&V seminars, education and training, creation and dissemination of benchmark problems – to improve the autonomy of guidance, navigation and control systems, while limiting the complexity of the system and the various phases of the life cycle.
Our research activities, and in particular SDTlib, are a response to this need. Once these tools were sufficiently mature, DYCSYT was created with the aim of contributing to their transfer to the industrial world.
For more information:
The TITOP approach to multi-body modeling of flexible structures
SDTlib is based on the TITOP (Two-Input Two-Output Port) formalism. The TITOP model of a flexible body (a solar panel, for example) describes its dynamics independently of the rest of the system. By assembling TITOP models, we can build a model of a complex structure while retaining physical parameters
Precision pointing for an observation mission
This R&D study, carried out under ESA contract in collaboration with Thalès Alenia Space, focused on optimizing the pointing performance of a generic observation mission. The system was fully modeled using SDTlib to perform a frequency analysis of the system and optimize performance. Numerous possible disturbances were considered: The
Robotic arm manipulation for on-orbit servicing
This R&D study, carried out in collaboration with ESA, focused on high-fidelity modeling of a robotic arm manipulation scenario, as part of an in-orbit service mission. SDTlib was used to model the service satellite and the customer, each with their own properties of mass, inertia, flexible modes, etc., and
LFT modeling of uncertain systems
Context The term “uncertainty” refers to the necessary discrepancies between the mathematical model of a physical system, and the reality. Such uncertainties may degrade the stability or the performance of the system, and motivate for robustness considerations as of the control design. In particular, one can distinguish the unstructured
R&D study, consortium collaboration, technical support, customized training, SDTlib license: contact us to discuss your project, and together we’ll choose the solution best suited to your needs.
