Research on test mass capture control by hardware-in-the-loop system

In space gravitational wave detection, the release and capture of the test mass is a critical procedure before drag-free satellites enter scientific measurement mode. The reliability of the control algorithm directly determines mission success. Current studies mainly rely on numerical simulations and lack physical experimental verification. To address this problem, a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experimental system is developed for test mass release and capture with two degrees of freedom (position and attitude), which can simulate the on-orbit dynamic behavior of the test mass. A multi-constrained model predictive control (MPC) algorithm is designed and verified by ground experiments. Results show that the HIL system has high dynamic consistency with the space model. The proposed MPC algorithm exhibits excellent capture performance, and experimental results agree well with simulations. Monte Carlo tests further validate the controller under different initial conditions. This platform provides reliable experimental support and technical reference for ground verification of test mass control algorithms, and is significant for promoting their engineering applications in space missions.