GRAVITY TY OFFLOAD TE TESTB TBEDS FOR FO SPACE ROBOTI TIC - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

GRAVITY TY OFFLOAD TE TESTB TBEDS FOR FO SPACE ROBOTI TIC MISSION SIMULATI TION ORGANIZERS Craig Carignan University of Maryland, USA Giacomo Marani West Virginia University, USA André Schiele European Space Agency, The Netherlands IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) Vancouver, BC, September 24, 2017

Previous Workshops • ICRA 2012: “Robotic Satellite Servicing,” St. Paul, Minnesota • ICRA 2015: “The Next Generation of Space Robotic Servicing Technologies,” Seattle, Washington Focused mainly on space robotic technology development. IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 2

Space Robot Application Areas • Satellite Servicing • Assembly and Construction • Orbital Debris Removal • Planetary Exploration • Asteroid Sample Retrieval IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 3

Identified Key Technology Areas • Advanced vision and mapping algorithms • Navigation and rendezvous algorithms • Autonomous grappling of uncooperative satellites/small bodies • Dexterous manipulation, end-effectors, and specialized tools • Operator interfaces and time delay compensation • Ground simulation testbeds and validation IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 4

Objectives for This Workshop • Review the state-of-the-art in ground-based platforms for space robotic mission simulation • Share research and ideas in an effort to better which reduced gravity simulation techniques work best for given application • Identify new technologies that will enable more accurate simulation of reduced gravity environments on the ground IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 5

Some Current Simulation Methods • Parabolic flight • Neutral buoyancy simulation • Air bearing platforms • Counterweights with tethers • Robotic motion-based platforms IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 6

Parabolic Flight IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 7

Neutral Buoyancy Ranger NBV performing HST servicing tasks at UMD’s Neutral Buoyancy Research Facility. IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 8

Air Bearing Tables Air bearing platform at ESA’s ESTEC Centre. IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 9

Counterbalance Lunar Excursion Module Simulator (LEMS) in 1963. IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 10

Robotic Motion-Based Platforms Cable robot simulator at the Max Planck Institute. IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 11

Reduced Gravity Limitations MOTION PLATFORM PARABOLIC FLIGHT COUNTERWEIGHTS 25 sec micro-g, 2g load time-delay, robot resonance AIR BEARING TABLE NEUTRAL BUOYANCY point loading, quasistatic planar workspace IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan water drag 12

Famous Validation Slip-Up Initial bid to capture satellite fails By WILLIAM HARWOOD UPI Science Writer | May 10, 1992 SPACE CENTER, Houston -- A spacewalking astronaut wielding a 160-pound grapple tried to latch onto a disabled communications satellite Sunday, but the effort caused the wayward craft to start tumbling, blocking initial attempts to haul the craft aboard for repairs. After at least three unsuccessful attempts by astronaut Pierre Thuot to snag the satellite while floating on the end of the shuttle Endeavour's robot arm, commander Daniel Brandenstein broke off the exercise and backed away shortly after 6:30 p.m., leaving the Intelsat 6 communications satellite wobbling through space like a gyrating top. http://www.airspacemag.com/videos/category/space-exploration/intelsat-rescue/ IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 13

Intelsat 408 Training Training for the Intelsat capture task was performed using an inertially comparable spinning system on an air-bearing floor, with the crew operating in an inertially fixed 1-g environment. Inaccuracies in the air bearing facility along with the inability to simulate out-of-plane motion, may have actually produced negative training for the flight crew. IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 14

Mistakes can be costly … Brewster Rockit IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 15

Schedule 09:00 Introduction 09:10 Session 1 Presentations (2) 10:00 Coffee Break 10:30 Session 2 Presentations (3) 11:45 Poster Session 12:30 Lunch 13:55 Session 3 Presentations (5) 16:00 Coffee Break & Poster Session 16:30 Discussion (Town Hall) 17:30 Adjourn IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 16

Session 1 Presentations 09:10 Günter Niemeyer, Disney Research Robotic Simulators: Passivity, Performance, and Possibilities 09:35 Joshua Mehling, NASA Johnson Space Center Simulating Reduced Gravity: Robot Testing at NASA Johnson Space Center IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 17

Session 2 Presentations 10:30 Kazuya Yoshida, Tohoku University Air Bearing Testbed for Orbital Debris Removal and Asteroid Surface Locomotion 10:55 John Wen, RPI Air Bearing Systems for Space Dynamics and Control Simulations 11:20 Marco De Stefano & Jordia Artigas, DLR The DLR On-Orbit Servicing Simulator OOS-SIM: Reproducing Free-Floating Dynamics with Robotic Facilities IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 18

Session 3 Presentations 13:55 Brian Roberts, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Gravity Offload Techniques Utilized at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center 14:20 Bernd Maediger, Airbus DS GmbH Bremen Robotic Satellite Servicing Testbeds for Capture and Re-Fueling Operations 14:45 Raja Mukherji & John Lymer, MDA Corp. Testing of Dextre Force Control Operations Using a Ground Test Bed IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 19

Session 3 Presentations (cont’d) 15:10 Glen Henshaw, U.S. Naval Research Lab Microgravity Simulation Environments and Space Robotics Validation at NRL 15:35 François Conti, Force Dimension Breaking New Ground in Human Exploration IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 20

Town Hall Discussion • Logistics: lessons learned • No single testbed alone can validate the on-orbit dynamics • How much cross validation is needed to buy down risk? • Technical: how to improve each platform • Better actuators & sensors for motion-based platform • Can we leverage technology from other fields? (e.g., haptics) • Programmatic: • How to choose platform(s) within budget? • How to make sure we’re not fooling ourselves • Intelsat VI example IROS 2017 Space Robotics Workshop Introduction/Carignan 21