Astrobee Robot Software: A Modern Software System for Space

Astrobee is a new free-flyer robot designed to operate inside the International Space Station (ISS). Astrobee capabilities include markerless navigation, autonomous docking for recharge, perching on handrails to minimize power and modular payloads. Astrobee will operate without crew support, controlled by teleoperation, plan execution, or on-board third parties software. This paper presents the Astrobee Robot Software, a NASA Open-Source project, powering the Astrobee robot. The Astrobee Robot Software relies on a distributed architecture based on the Robot Operating System (ROS). The software runs on three interconnected smart phone class processors. We present the software approach, infrastructure required, and main software components. The Astrobee Robot Software embrace modern software practices while respecting flight constraints. The paper concludes with the lessons learned, including examples usage of the software. Several research teams are already using the Astrobee Robot Software to develop novel projects that will fly on Astrobee

Autonomous systems for operations in critical environments

This paper proposes an environment devoted to simulate the use of autonomous systems in the context of space exploratory missions and operations; this research focuses on supporting engineering of autonomous systems and of their innovative artificial intelligences through interoperable simulation. The proposed approach enables also development of training and educational solutions for use of robots and autonomous systems in space critical environments. The paper addresses different application areas including robotic inventory and warehouse solutions, intelligent space guard systems, drones for supporting extravehicular activities and for managing accidents and health emergencies. The paper investigates the potential of autonomous systems as well as their capability to interoperate with other systems and with humans, especially in critical environments. Finally, the paper presents the existing researches for interoperable simulators devoted to address these challenging topics within Simulation Exploratory Experience initiative

Design principles for the development of space technology maturation laboratories aboard the International Space Station

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (v. 2, p. 339-349).This thesis formulates seven design principles for the development of laboratories which utilize the International Space Station (ISS) to demonstrate the maturation of space technologies. The principles are derived from the lessons learned from more than two decades of space technology research at the MIT Space Systems Laboratory and the existence of unique resources aboard the ISS. The thesis provides scientists with a design framework for new laboratories and an evaluation framework to responds to a call by the National Research Council to institutionalize science activities aboard the ISS. Experience from previous missions and research on the resources available at the ISS led to the development of the SPHERES Laboratory for Distributed Satellite Systems (DSS), which constitutes the experimental part of the thesis. SPHERES allows tests in a representative, risk-tolerant environment aboard the ISS to demonstrate metrology, control, and autonomy algorithms for DSS. The implementation of ground-based and ISS-based facilities permits incremental technology maturation by enabling iterative research; algorithms can mature through multiple research cycles with increasing complexity. The SPHERES Guest Scientist Program supports research by multiple scientists: since the Spring of 2000 SPHERES has enabled research on formation flight, communications requirements, mass properties identification, autonomous rendezvous and docking, and tethered formation flight.(cont.) The design principles were formulated by first identifying the features of the SPHERES laboratory which allow it to fulfill the MIT SSL Laboratory Design Philosophy and utilize the ISS correctly, and then finding the applicability of these features to space technology maturation research. The seven principles are: Principle of Iterative Research, Principle of Enabling a Field of Study, Principle of Optimized Utilization, Principle of Focused Modularity, Principle of Remote Operations and Usability, Principle of Incremental Technology Maturation, and Principle of Requirements Balance. The design framework is used to assess SPHERES and suggest a new design iteration which better satisfies the design principles. The evaluation of SPHERES concludes that it is ready for operations aboard the ISS, since the modular design of SPHERES allows most of the proposed design changes to occur after the initial deployment.by Alvar Saenz-Otero.Ph.D

Aerospace Medicine and Biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes supplement 201

This bibliography lists 191 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in December 1979

Technology assessment of advanced automation for space missions

Six general classes of technology requirements derived during the mission definition phase of the study were identified as having maximum importance and urgency, including autonomous world model based information systems, learning and hypothesis formation, natural language and other man-machine communication, space manufacturing, teleoperators and robot systems, and computer science and technology

Microgravity: a Teacher's Guide with Activities, Secondary Level

This NASA Educational Publication is a teacher's guide that focuses on microgravity for the secondary level student. The introduction answers the question 'What is microgravity?', as well as describing gravity and creating microgravity. Following the introduction is a microgravity primer which covers such topics as the fluid state, combustion science, materials science, biotechnology, as well as microgravity and space flight. Seven different activities are described in the activities section and are written by authors prominent in the field. The concluding sections of the book include a glossary, microgravity references, and NASA educational resources

Optimal Formation Flight Control Using Coupled Inter-Spacecraft Dynamics

Projecte fet en col.laboración amb Space Systems Laboratory (Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology, Cambridge, USAThe increasing number of formation ight space missions proposed by the scienti c community for the near future has led many researchers to the study, development and implementation of optimal control systems applied to a multi-spacecraft system. The approaches taken may vary among authors, but it is generally agreed upon that having independent controllers at each spacecraft leads to a non-optimal solution in a global or formation-wide sense, even when independent controllers are implemented using any of the locally optimal techniques known from the theory of control. Most of the future formation ight missions have been designed with an interferometric purpose, such as performing a space-based distributed telescope structure that would y into deep space with an observational objective. In that case, where global positioning systems such as GPS are no longer available, relative positioning not only becomes necessary to achieve control of the multi-spacecraft system, but it also becomes a crucial factor that would determine the performance of the system with regards to the optical science output. In fact, if we rede ne the state vector of the plant and use the relative states that need to be tracked instead of independent global positions, we get to a de nition with coupled dynamics of the whole multi-agent system. This research focuses on the control performance obtained when the controller is designed using coupled inter-spacecraft dynamics and how this approach can lead to an optimal solution in a global sense, both in optical performance and overall fuel usage. The rst part of the thesis will address the theoretical advantages that may arise within the coupled dynamics architecture and the second part analyses the performance of the results obtained when testing the real implementation of the controller on hardware. This study, concerning implementation and performance of formation ight controllers in a real case scenario such as deep space interferometer missions, will lead towards increasing mission lifetime, performance improvement and a step forward in the eld

Fourth Annual Workshop on Space Operations Applications and Research (SOAR 90)

The papers from the symposium are presented. Emphasis is placed on human factors engineering and space environment interactions. The technical areas covered in the human factors section include: satellite monitoring and control, man-computer interfaces, expert systems, AI/robotics interfaces, crew system dynamics, and display devices. The space environment interactions section presents the following topics: space plasma interaction, spacecraft contamination, space debris, and atomic oxygen interaction with materials. Some of the above topics are discussed in relation to the space station and space shuttle

ROBOTIC TECHNOLOGIES FOR MINIMIZING CREW MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS IN SPACE HABITATS

Gemstone Team ASTROThe International Space Station (ISS) is crewed continuously by astronauts conducting scientifc research in microgravity. However, their work is not limited to scientifc research alone; in fact, logistics, maintenance, and repair tasks on the ISS require more than 80% of available crew time, severely limiting opportunities for performing scientifc experiments and technological development. NASA is planning a new project known as Gateway (also referred to as the Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway). This station will orbit the Moon and be uncrewed for 11 months per year. Astronauts will only be present in the outpost for a limited period of time and will not always be available for continuous repairs and maintenance, as is required for Gateway to operate. Therefore, robotic system(s) are necessary to regularly accomplish these tasks both in the absence and presence of astronauts. Throughout this project, Team ASTRO (Assessment of Space Technologies for Robotic Operations) explored the feasibility of integrating dexterous robotic systems in space habitat architectures to perform routine and contingency operational and maintenance tasks. Ultimately, this allows for astronauts, when present, to focus on exploration and scientifc discoveries. The team conducted this research through three approaches: Gateway component analog taskboard development and end e˙ector assessment, Cargo Transfer Bag (CTB) manipulation and logistics, and AprilTag situational awareness simulation development. Based on analyses and experimental results gained from this research, the team found that robotic systems are feasible alternatives for space habitat operation. Team ASTRO also determined that AprilTags can be used for optimization of the Gateway design to facilitate uncrewed operations and robotic servicing to improve crew productivity when present

Cyberspace vs Green Space: Nature’s Psychological Influence in Neuromancer, Blade Runner 2049, and The Stone Gods

Cyberpunk science fiction is often set in dystopian futures where capitalism and rapid technological growth have rendered the planet ecologically devastated. The people of these worlds are host to numerous mental illnesses that many attempt to cure with drugs, entertainment, or other aspects of their fast-paced existences, but these solutions are rarely successful. When characters come to embrace the remnants of the natural world, however, they typically show signs of mental healing as the result of exposure to nature. This thesis analyzes William Gibson’s Neuromancer, Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049, and Jeanette Winterson’s The Stone Gods alongside research from the fields of ecopsychology and ecotherapy to better understand the relationship between mental health and nature within the cyberpunk genre