Second Annual Workshop on Space Operations Automation and Robotics (SOAR 1988)

Papers presented at the Second Annual Workshop on Space Operation Automation and Robotics (SOAR '88), hosted by Wright State University at Dayton, Ohio, on July 20, 21, 22, and 23, 1988, are documented herein. During the 4 days, approximately 100 technical papers were presented by experts from NASA, the USAF, universities, and technical companies. Panel discussions on Human Factors, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Space Systems were held but are not documented herein. Technical topics addressed included knowledge-based systems, human factors, and robotics

Autonomous Collision avoidance for Unmanned aerial systems

Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) applications are growing day by day and this will lead Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in the close future to share the same airspace of manned aircraft.This implies the need for UAS to define precise safety standards compatible with operations standards for manned aviation. Among these standards the need for a Sense And Avoid (S&A) system to support and, when necessary, sub¬stitute the pilot in the detection and avoidance of hazardous situations (e.g. midair collision, controlled flight into terrain, flight path obstacles, and clouds). This thesis presents the work come out in the development of a S&A system taking into account collision risks scenarios with multiple moving and fixed threats. The conflict prediction is based on a straight projection of the threats state in the future. The approximations introduced by this approach have the advantage of high update frequency (1 Hz) of the estimated conflict geometry. This solution allows the algorithm to capture the trajectory changes of the threat or ownship. The resolution manoeuvre evaluation is based on a optimisation approach considering step command applied to the heading and altitude autopilots. The optimisation problem takes into account the UAV performances and aims to keep a predefined minimum separation distance between UAV and threats during the resolution manouvre. The Human-Machine Interface (HMI) of this algorithm is then embedded in a partial Ground Control Station (GCS) mock-up with some original concepts for the indication of the flight condition parameters and the indication of the resolution manoeuvre constraints. Simulations of the S&A algorithm in different critical scenarios are moreover in-cluded to show the algorithm capabilities. Finally, methodology and results of the tests and interviews with pilots regarding the proposed GCS partial layout are covered

Proceedings of the 8th Annual Summer Conference: NASA/USRA Advanced Design Program

Papers presented at the 8th Annual Summer Conference are categorized as Space Projects and Aeronautics projects. Topics covered include: Systematic Propulsion Optimization Tools (SPOT), Assured Crew Return Vehicle Post Landing Configuration Design and Test, Autonomous Support for Microorganism Research in Space, Bioregenerative System Components for Microgravity, The Extended Mission Rover (EMR), Planetary Surface Exploration MESUR/Autonomous Lunar Rover, Automation of Closed Environments in Space for Human Comfort and Safety, Walking Robot Design, Extraterrestrial Surface Propulsion Systems, The Design of Four Hypersonic Reconnaissance Aircraft, Design of a Refueling Tanker Delivering Liquid Hydrogen, The Design of a Long-Range Megatransport Aircraft, and Solar Powered Multipurpose Remotely Powered Aircraft

Planetary Science Vision 2050 Workshop : February 27–28 and March 1, 2017, Washington, DC

This workshop is meant to provide NASA’s Planetary Science Division with a very long-range vision of what planetary science may look like in the future.Organizer, Lunar and Planetary Institute ; Conveners, James Green, NASA Planetary Science Division, Doris Daou, NASA Planetary Science Division ; Science Organizing Committee, Stephen Mackwell, Universities Space Research Association [and 14 others]PARTIAL CONTENTS: Exploration Missions to the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud--Future Mercury Exploration: Unique Science Opportunities from Our Solar System’s Innermost Planet--A Vision for Ice Giant Exploration--BAOBAB (Big and Outrageously Bold Asteroid Belt) Project--Asteroid Studies: A 35-Year Forecast--Sampling the Solar System: The Next Level of Understanding--A Ground Truth-Based Approach to Future Solar System Origins Research--Isotope Geochemistry for Comparative Planetology of Exoplanets--The Moon as a Laboratory for Biological Contamination Research--“Be Careful What You Wish For:” The Scientific, Practical, and Cultural Implications of Discovering Life in Our Solar System--The Importance of Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE) Analysis and Imaging to the Search for Life on the Ocean Worlds--Follow the (Outer Solar System) Water: Program Options to Explore Ocean Worlds--Analogies Among Current and Future Life Detection Missions and the Pharmaceutical/ Biomedical Industries--On Neuromorphic Architectures for Efficient, Robust, and Adaptable Autonomy in Life Detection and Other Deep Space Missions

Conference on Intelligent Robotics in Field, Factory, Service, and Space (CIRFFSS 1994), volume 1

The AIAA/NASA Conference on Intelligent Robotics in Field, Factory, Service, and Space (CIRFFSS '94) was originally proposed because of the strong belief that America's problems of global economic competitiveness and job creation and preservation can partly be solved by the use of intelligent robotics, which are also required for human space exploration missions. Individual sessions addressed nuclear industry, agile manufacturing, security/building monitoring, on-orbit applications, vision and sensing technologies, situated control and low-level control, robotic systems architecture, environmental restoration and waste management, robotic remanufacturing, and healthcare applications

One-Dimensional Spacecraft Formation Flight Testbed for Terrestrial Charged Relative Motion Experiments

Spacecraft operating in a desired formation offers an abundance of attractive mission capabilities. One proposed method of controlling a close formation of spacecraft is with Coulomb (electrostatic) forces. The Coulomb formation flight idea utilizes charge emission to drive the spacecraft to kilovolt-level potentials and generate adjustable, micronewton- to millinewton-level Coulomb forces for relative position control. In order to advance the prospects of the Coulomb formation flight concept, this dissertation presents the design and implementation of a unique one-dimensional testbed. The disturbances of the testbed are identified and reduced below 1 mN. This noise level offers a near-frictionless platform that is used to perform relative motion actuation with electrostatics in a terrestrial atmospheric environment. Potentials up to 30 kV are used to actuate a cart over a translational range of motion of 40 cm. A challenge to both theoretical and hardware implemented electrostatic actuation developments is correctly modeling the forces between finite charged bodies, outside a vacuum. To remedy this, studies of Earth orbit plasmas and Coulomb force theory is used to derive and propose a model of the Coulomb force between finite spheres in close proximity, in a plasma. This plasma force model is then used as a basis for a candidate terrestrial force model. The plasma-like parameters of this terrestrial model are estimated using charged motion data from fixed-potential, single-direction experiments on the testbed. The testbed is advanced to the level of autonomous feedback position control using solely Coulomb force actuation. This allows relative motion repositioning on a flat and level track as well as an inclined track that mimics the dynamics of two charged spacecraft that are aligned with the principal orbit axis. This controlled motion is accurately predicted with simulations using the terrestrial force model. This demonstrates similarities between the partial charge shielding of space-based plasmas to the electrostatic screening in the laboratory atmosphere