Dynamic modeling of spacecraft docking process

Dynamic modeling of spacecraft docking process is a chief content of docking process dynamic simulation. Based on the description of spacecraft docking process, dynamic modeling of two spacecraft with large solar panel is performed by way of Newton-Euler and mixed coordinate. The models simplifies the docking system as three bodies consisting of chasing vehicle, target vehicle and active ring, considering chasing vehicle and target vehicle as centric rigid bodies with flexibility appendages which are discreted by way of finite element method, and active ring as rigid bodies. Besides the given contact and impact models, the simplified model of buffer system is also discussed. All these constitute the whole docking dynamic models and lay foundations for dynamic simulation of docking process.