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Spacecraft Vibration Suppression and Measurement Sensor Technology
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Spacecraft Vibration Suppression and Measurement Sensor Technology

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Intelligent Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2025 | Viewed by 3922

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Minglong Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Interests: active vibration control; high precision actuator and sensor technology; piezo-like effect and its application
Dr. Jian Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Interests: micro-vibration control and high-precision pointing of space loads; intelligent actuation and vibration control technology; aircraft structure fluid-structure coupling vibration analysis and control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the development of space technology, micro-vibrations have become a restriction for improving the imaging quality and pointing accuracy of in-orbit satellites. In order to weaken or eliminate the impact of micro-vibrations, effective micro-vibration suppression methods must be adopted. Due to the very small vibration magnitude of space vehicles, broadband and low-noise measurement sensor technologies need to be developed. Furthermore, the verification of micro-vibration suppression on the ground is a challenge due to the influence of gravity.

Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Micro-vibration suppression to space optical payloads;
  2. Micro-vibration suppression to solar wing;
  3. Isolation of CMG;
  4. Micro-vibration suppression to space antenna;
  5. Micro-vibration measurement sensor technology;
  6. Ground testing technology;
  7. Design and broadband control of fast-reflection mirrors (FSM);
  8. Image stabilization technology;
  9. High-precision pointing;
  10. Advanced sensing technology.

Prof. Dr. Minglong Xu
Dr. Jian Zhou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vibration suppression
  • sensor
  • image stabilization
  • high-precision pointing
  • fast reflection mirrors

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 8499 KiB  
Article
Integrated Design and Experiment of a Micro-Vibration Isolation and Pointing Platform for Large Space Optical Payloads Based on Voice Coil Motors
by Yilin Guo, Jian Zhou, Zehao Gao, Bo Feng and Minglong Xu
Sensors 2025, 25(4), 1179; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25041179 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 562
Abstract
This paper presents the design of an integrated micro-vibration isolation and pointing platform with a four-leg structure, incorporating pitch and yaw adjustment functions using voice coil motors. The primary objective is to mitigate the impact of spacecraft-generated micro-vibrations on the pointing accuracy and [...] Read more.
This paper presents the design of an integrated micro-vibration isolation and pointing platform with a four-leg structure, incorporating pitch and yaw adjustment functions using voice coil motors. The primary objective is to mitigate the impact of spacecraft-generated micro-vibrations on the pointing accuracy and imaging clarity of large space optical payloads while adhering to lightweight requirements. The research methodology encompasses three main phases. Initially, a simplified dynamic model of the integrated platform is established, and dynamic control equations are derived based on the proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control strategy. The effects of centroid deviation and control parameters on the control efficacy are analyzed. Subsequently, a principle prototype of the two-dimensional micro-vibration isolation and pointing platform is designed, detailing the development of the membrane, actuator, legs, and integrated system. Finally, a ground test verification system is implemented under gravity unloading conditions using elastic strings. The experimental results demonstrate the platform’s effective vibration isolation and pointing capabilities, achieving a 23 dB attenuation effect at the fundamental frequency. Furthermore, the PID control algorithm exhibits enhanced isolation performance at low frequencies and facilitates directional tracking of target signals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spacecraft Vibration Suppression and Measurement Sensor Technology)
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23 pages, 10987 KiB  
Article
Micro-Vibration Control of Deployable Space Optical Imaging System Using Distributed Active Vibration Absorbers
by Zhuo Chen, Guangyuan Wang, Chuanwen Zhu, Feihu Liu, Kuai Yu and Yongsheng Wu
Sensors 2025, 25(4), 989; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25040989 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 604
Abstract
This paper presents a distributed vibration control method using attachable absorbers for micro-vibration control of large space payload structures. The distributed vibration control system is modeled at three levels. The simplification of the attachable absorber model is discussed, and the single-channel ANC controller [...] Read more.
This paper presents a distributed vibration control method using attachable absorbers for micro-vibration control of large space payload structures. The distributed vibration control system is modeled at three levels. The simplification of the attachable absorber model is discussed, and the single-channel ANC controller is extended to a multi-channel configuration. Based on the models, simulation analysis is conducted, revealing that the voltage–force output of the absorber in the low-frequency range can be simplified to a second-order system. During the distributed vibration control system simulation, a Simulink–GA hybrid optimization is applied to address the large number of converging parameters. The optimized parameters successfully control the vibration of all channels. Further analysis indicates that the coupling between control channels slightly reduces convergence speed but has no impact on the final control effect. Additionally, the control system can achieve the same results by independently tuning parameters for each channel. The experimental results, using absorber prototypes and a model with 12 sub-mirror structures, demonstrate that the method can control sub-mirror vibrations simultaneously, maintaining the flatness of the main mirror under disturbance, with a 90% reduction in vibration within 4 s. The coupling effect reduces the final convergence speed by approximately 10%, with a time difference of around 1 s. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spacecraft Vibration Suppression and Measurement Sensor Technology)
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17 pages, 7649 KiB  
Article
Design and Tracking Control Experimental Study of a Hybrid Reluctance-Actuated Fast Steering Mirror with an Integrated Sensing Unit
by Jian Zhou, Yudong Fan, Liang Li, Feng Zhang, Bo Feng and Minglong Xu
Sensors 2025, 25(3), 910; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25030910 - 3 Feb 2025
Viewed by 652
Abstract
This study proposes the design of a hybrid reluctance-actuated fast steering mirror (HRAFSM) using Maxwell’s electromagnetic normal stress principle. Strain gauges were attached to the flexible supports as sensors for measuring the rotation angles. According to Maxwell’s stress tensor theory and the theory [...] Read more.
This study proposes the design of a hybrid reluctance-actuated fast steering mirror (HRAFSM) using Maxwell’s electromagnetic normal stress principle. Strain gauges were attached to the flexible supports as sensors for measuring the rotation angles. According to Maxwell’s stress tensor theory and the theory of vibration mechanics, we obtained the dynamic equation of the HRAFSM in the uniaxial direction to investigate the relationship between the input current and the output angle of the entire system. Further, we propose a control algorithm combining proportional-integral-derivative (PID) and adaptive inverse control (AIC) to achieve high-precision control. We established an experimental system for testing and validation of the control method. The experimental results showed that the designed HRAFSM can achieve the expected rotation angle of ±1.5 mrad, and revealed a linear relationship between the rotation angle of the two axes and their corresponding strain voltages. The effectiveness of the designed controller was verified, and the amplitude tracking errors of the x- and y-axes were 0.1% and 0.14%, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spacecraft Vibration Suppression and Measurement Sensor Technology)
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22 pages, 7898 KiB  
Article
A Deformation Reconstruction Strategy for Integrated Truss Structures Subjected to Thermal–Mechanical Load
by Zexing Yu, Xiaofei Ma, Jialong Zhu, Dayu Zhang, Yonggang Xue, Pengfei Huang, Yichen Li and Hao Li
Sensors 2025, 25(2), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25020558 - 19 Jan 2025
Viewed by 620
Abstract
The deformation monitoring of integrated truss structures (ITSs) is essential for ensuring the reliable performance of mounted equipment in complex space environments. Reconstruction methods based on local strain information have been proven effective, yet the identification faces significant challenges due to variable thermal–mechanical [...] Read more.
The deformation monitoring of integrated truss structures (ITSs) is essential for ensuring the reliable performance of mounted equipment in complex space environments. Reconstruction methods based on local strain information have been proven effective, yet the identification faces significant challenges due to variable thermal–mechanical loads, interactions among structural components, and special boundary conditions. This paper proposes a deformation reconstruction strategy tailored for ITSs under combined thermal–mechanical load scenarios wherein deformations of both the primary truss structures and the attached panel systems are investigated. The proposed approach utilizes Ko displacement theory as the core algorithm, while the least squares optimization method is employed to determine the integration with unknown initial values during the reconstruction process. Validation is conducted through diverse load scenarios, and the reconstruction results are evaluated using errors based on the root mean square. The result demonstrates that the proposed method can reconstruct deformations of truss structures under both mechanical and thermal loads. Furthermore, the optimization-based approach achieves accurate reconstructed results in the case of panels with two-point fixed boundary conditions. This study provides an effective strategy for in-orbit deformation reconstruction, addressing challenges posed by complex loads and structural configurations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spacecraft Vibration Suppression and Measurement Sensor Technology)
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18 pages, 5268 KiB  
Article
Vibration Control of Flexible Launch Vehicles Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor Arrays
by Bartel van der Veek, Hector Gutierrez, Brian Wise, Daniel Kirk and Leon van Barschot
Sensors 2025, 25(1), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25010204 - 2 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 880
Abstract
The effects of mechanical vibrations on control system stability could be significant in control systems designed on the assumption of rigid-body dynamics, such as launch vehicles. Vibrational loads can also cause damage to launch vehicles due to fatigue or excitation of structural resonances. [...] Read more.
The effects of mechanical vibrations on control system stability could be significant in control systems designed on the assumption of rigid-body dynamics, such as launch vehicles. Vibrational loads can also cause damage to launch vehicles due to fatigue or excitation of structural resonances. This paper investigates a method to control structural vibrations in real time using a finite number of strain measurements from a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor array. A scaled test article representative of the structural dynamics associated with an actual launch vehicle was designed and built. The main modal frequencies of the test specimen are extracted from finite element analysis. A model of the test article is developed, including frequency response, thruster dynamics, and sensor conversion matrices. A model-based robust controller is presented to minimize vibrations in the test article by using FBG measurements to calculate the required thrust in two cold gas actuators. Controller performance is validated both in simulation and on experiments with the proposed test article. The proposed controller achieves a 94% reduction in peak–peak vibration in the first mode, and 80% reduction in peak–peak vibration in the second mode, compared to the open loop response under continuously excited base motion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spacecraft Vibration Suppression and Measurement Sensor Technology)
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