Trajectory Optimization and Following for a Three Degrees of Freedom Overactuated Floating Platform

Space robotics applications, such as Active Space Debris Removal (ASDR), require representative testing before launch. A commonly used approach to emulate the microgravity environment in space is air-bearing based platforms on flat-floors, such as the European Space Agency's Orbital Robotics and GNC Lab (ORGL). This work proposes a control architecture for a floating platform at the ORGL, equipped with eight solenoid-valve-based thrusters and one reaction wheel. The control architecture consists of two main components: a trajectory planner that finds optimal trajectories connecting two states and a trajectory follower that follows any physically feasible trajectory. The controller is first evaluated within an introduced simulation, achieving a 100 % success rate at finding and following trajectories to the origin within a Monte-Carlo test. Individual trajectories are also successfully followed by the physical system. In this work, we showcase the ability of the controller to reject disturbances and follow a straight-line trajectory within tens of centimeters.Comment: Accepted to IROS2022, code at https://gitlab.com/anton.bredenbeck/ff-trajectorie

Finding and Following Optimal Trajectories for an Overactuated Floating Robotic Platform

The recent increase in yearly spacecraft launches and the high number of planned launches have raised questions about maintaining accessibility to space for all interested parties. A key to sustaining the future of space-flight is the ability to service malfunctioning - and actively remove dysfunctional spacecraft from orbit. Robotic platforms that autonomously perform these tasks are a topic of ongoing research and thus must undergo thorough testing before launch. For representative system-level testing, the European Space Agency (ESA) uses, among other things, the Orbital Robotics and GNC Lab (ORGL), a flat-floor facility where air-bearing based platforms exhibit free-floating behavior in three Degrees of Freedom (DoF). This work introduces a representative simulation of a free-floating platform in the testing environment and a software framework for controller development. Finally, this work proposes a controller within that framework for finding and following optimal trajectories between arbitrary states, which is evaluated in simulation and reality.Comment: 16th Symposium on Advanced Space Technologies in Robotics and Automation 202

Unconventional Trajectories for Mobile 3D Scanning and Mapping

State-of-the-art LiDAR-based 3D scanning and mapping systems focus on scenarios where good sensing coverage is ensured, such as drones, wheeled robots, cars, or backpack-mounted systems. However, in some scenarios more unconventional sensor trajectories come naturally, e.g., rolling, descending, or oscillating back and forth, but the literature on these is relatively sparse. As a result, most implementations developed in the past are not able to solve the SLAM problem in such conditions. In this chapter, we propose a robust offline-batch SLAM system that is able to address more challenging trajectories, which are characterized by weak angles of incidence and limited FOV while scanning. The proposed SLAM system is an upgraded version of our previous work and takes as input the raw points and prior pose estimates, yet the latter are subject to large amounts of drift. Our approach is a two-staged algorithm where in the first stage coarse alignment is fast achieved by matching planar polygons. In the second stage, we utilize a graph-based SLAM algorithm for further refinement. We evaluate the mapping accuracy of the algorithm on our own recorded datasets using high-resolution ground truth maps, which are available from a TLS

DAEDALUS - Descent And Exploration in Deep Autonomy of Lava Underground Structures

The DAEDALUS mission concept aims at exploring and characterising the entrance and initial part of Lunar lava tubes within a compact, tightly integrated spherical robotic device, with a complementary payload set and autonomous capabilities. The mission concept addresses specifically the identification and characterisation of potential resources for future ESA exploration, the local environment of the subsurface and its geologic and compositional structure. A sphere is ideally suited to protect sensors and scientific equipment in rough, uneven environments. It will house laser scanners, cameras and ancillary payloads. The sphere will be lowered into the skylight and will explore the entrance shaft, associated caverns and conduits. Lidar (light detection and ranging) systems produce 3D models with high spatial accuracy independent of lighting conditions and visible features. Hence this will be the primary exploration toolset within the sphere. The additional payload that can be accommodated in the robotic sphere consists of camera systems with panoramic lenses and scanners such as multi-wavelength or single-photon scanners. A moving mass will trigger movements. The tether for lowering the sphere will be used for data communication and powering the equipment during the descending phase. Furthermore, the connector tether-sphere will host a WIFI access point, such that data of the conduit can be transferred to the surface relay station. During the exploration phase, the robot will be disconnected from the cable, and will use wireless communication. Emergency autonomy software will ensure that in case of loss of communication, the robot will continue the nominal mission