Design of a Maglev Stewart Platform for the Microgravity Vibration Isolation

Vibration isolation mechanisms are usually installed on spacecraft between the vibration sources and the payload to ensure that precision instruments work properly. This paper proposes a novel maglev Stewart platform for vibration isolation in a microgravity environment. The maglev Stewart platform combines the quasi-zero stiffness of maglev actuators and the high maneuverability of the Stewart platform. The dynamic of the legs and the payload platform is analyzed, and the linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC) algorithm is used to decouple the legs and cancel the total disturbance in the linear feedback. The simulation studies show that with the maglev Stewart platform, there is no longer any obvious resonance. The transmission ratio of vibration can be reduced significantly compared with the traditional elastic Stewart platform. Last but not least, the influence of two control parameters on vibration isolation performance is connected to certain physical meaning of the vibration problem.