Abstract: In this paper, an in orbit calibration method for space manipulator based on hand eye cameras is proposed. The nonlinear model of the space manipulator is built via D H method, and calibration cases are designed to obtain calibration data by hand eye cameras. Then, numerical iteration method is utilized directly to solve the nonlinear problem. Thus the D H parameters can be achieved. A case study is carried out on a 7 DOFs space manipulator through simulations, and the results show the validation of the proposed method. The proposed method is directly based on non linear model of space manipulator, so the accuracy loss of linearization can be avoided, which improves the accuracy of in orbit calibration.

Key words: space manipulator, in orbit calibration, hand eye camera