Masterthesis - Real-Time Optimization Strategies for Space Robot Predictive Motion Control

05.03.2026, Abschlussarbeiten, Bachelor- und Masterarbeiten

Master thesis project: We invite applications for a Master’s thesis position at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, focusing on space robotics control.

Space robotics is an emerging field with growing relevance for applications such as On-Orbit Servicing, On-Orbit Assembly, and Active Debris Removal. In these domains, robotic motion and interaction take place in highly constrained environments and under strict computational and safety requirements. Recent research has shown that Model Predictive Control (MPC) can deliver a performant motion control while explicitly accounting for constraints and uncertainties.
Robotic control problems are inherently highly nonlinear. Applying Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) in real time therefore requires an efficient formulation of the optimal control problem and a carefully chosen discretization and solution strategy. Prior work has already investigated an offline optimization procedure to identify the most performant discretization methods.
The first objective of this thesis is to implement the developed NMPC controller on space-representative real-time hardware and evaluate its runtime performance and closed-loop behavior. The second objective is to investigate additional strategies to further improve real-time capability and robustness, for example by successive convexification approaches.

Requirements:
• Strong background in robotics, control theory, and optimization
• Solid programming skills in C/C++ (real-time / embedded implementation experience is a plus)
• Good working knowledge of MATLAB or Python is preferable
• Familiarity with Model Predictive Control and numerical optimization is an advantage

Kontakt: Peter Maximilian Kötting, Peter.Koetting@dlr.de