Satellite Servicing Projects Division Restore-L Propellant Transfer Subsystem Progress 2020

Coll, Gregory T.; Webster, Graham K.; Pankiewicz, Oliver; Schlee, Keith; Aranyos, Thomas J.; Nufer, Brian M.; Fothergill, Jenna; Tamasy, Gabor J.; Kandula, Max; Felt, Amy; Hicks, Neil G.

doi:10.2514/6.2020-3795

Cited by 12 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…For instance, there are currently many Earth observing satellites investigating the Earth's oceans and land masses (e.g., Landsat‐7; Goward et al, 2001), whose longevity could be increased by on‐orbit servicing and assembly. Specifically, new servicing and assembly technologies are being developed through NASA's On‐orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 servicing mission which will refuel Landsat‐7 (Coll et al, 2020; Reed et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ReSWARM microgravity flight experiments: Planning, control, and model estimation for on‐orbit close proximity operations

Doerr,

Albee,

Ekal

et al. 2024

Journal of Field Robotics

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On‐orbit close proximity operations involve robotic spacecraft maneuvering and making decisions for a growing number of mission scenarios demanding autonomy, including on‐orbit assembly, repair, and astronaut assistance. Of these scenarios, on‐orbit assembly is an enabling technology that will allow large space structures to be built in situ, using smaller building block modules. However, like many of these scenarios, robotic on‐orbit assembly involves several technical hurdles, such as changing system models. For instance, grappled modules moved by a free‐flying “assembler” robot can cause significant changes in the combined system inertia, which have cascading impacts on motion planning and control portions of the autonomy stack. Further, on‐orbit assembly and other scenarios require collision‐avoiding motion planning, particularly when operating in a “construction site” scenario of multiple assembler robots and structures. Multiple key technologies that address these complicating factors for autonomous microgravity close proximity operations are detailed in this work, in particular: (1) application of global long‐horizon planning, accomplished using offline and online sampling‐based planner options that consider the system dynamics; (2) adaptation of the recently proposed RATTLE information‐aware planning framework for on‐orbit reconfiguration model learning; and (3) connection with robust control tools to provide low‐level control robustness using current system knowledge. These approaches were demonstrated for an autonomous on‐orbit assembly use case by the RElative Satellite sWarming and Robotic Maneuvering (ReSWARM) experiments using NASA's Astrobee robots on the International Space Station. Results of the ReSWARM experiments are provided along with significant operational and implementation detail discussing the practicalities of hardware implementation and unique aspects of working with the Astrobee free‐flyer robots in microgravity. ReSWARM provides a base set of planning and control tools for robotic close proximity operations, demonstrates them in microgravity, and outlines some of the important hardware aspects that future autonomous free‐flyers will need to consider.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ReSWARM microgravity flight experiments: Planning, control, and model estimation for on‐orbit close proximity operations

Doerr,

Albee,

Ekal

et al. 2024

Journal of Field Robotics

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“…For direct filling, scholars have performed many studies, such as those on docking systems [15][16][17], transfer systems [18], docking control [19], and fluid dynamics [20]. In this paper, the docking system is the main focus.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and Analysis of a Novel Floating Docking Mechanism for On-Orbit Refueling

Sun

Zhang

et al. 2022

Aerospace

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The docking mechanism is a key component for on-orbit refueling technology. In this paper, the design and analysis of a novel floating docking mechanism for on-orbit berthing-based refueling is presented. Compared with traditional berthing and docking, the berthing here is high in success rate and low in impact, which is accomplished by stretching out a docking subassembly instead of pulling back the client spacecraft. However, the berthing also has two problems: initial deviations between two spacecraft and an additional force generated by a hard alloy refueling pipe, which both seriously affect the docking operation. Thus, the docking mechanism is designed to have alignment abilities and decrease the additional force as much as possible. Based on the principles above, we introduced spring pins and a helical refueling pipe to design a light, compact, and simple docking mechanism. To further reduce the additional force, we proposed an elliptical-helical pipe and analyzed its mechanical properties. Finally, simulations and experiments were conducted to validate the proposed mechanism. The results show that the proposed mechanism with an elliptical-helical pipe has a high tolerance for linear and angular misalignment and superior dynamic performance during docking.

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“…Systems and platforms intended for refueling, servicing, and support of longer space missions are under development ( Davis et al, 2019) . Examples of on-orbit servicing missions that have occurred or are about to occur include the mission extension vehicles by Northrop Grumman that performed rendezvous and docking with the Intelsat IS-901 and IS-1002 satellites in a geosynchronous orbit ( Pyrak and Anderson, 2022) , the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program for servicing interaction and manipulation of client satellites ( Saplan, 2022 ), and the OSAM-1 (formerly Restore-L) servicing mission that aims to refuel and reposition Landsat 7 in order to extend its operational duration ( Coll et al, 2020) . As orbital robotic servicing capabilities improve, robotic manipulators can provide a new, efficient means of locomotion for servicing vehicles operating on the client spacecraft.…”

Section: Introduction: Robotic Hoppingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Orbital hopping maneuvers with two Astrobee free-flyers: Ground and flight experiments

Kwok-Choon

Hudson²,

Romano³

2022

Front. Robot. AI

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Dynamic hopping maneuvers using mechanical actuation are proposed as a method of locomotion for free-flyer vehicles near or on large space structures. Such maneuvers are of interest for applications related to proximity maneuvers, observation, cargo carrying, fabrication, and sensor data collection. This study describes a set of dynamic hopping maneuver experiments performed using two Astrobees. Both vehicles were made to initially grasp onto a common free-floating handrail. From this initial condition, the active Astrobee launched itself using mechanical actuation of its robotic arm manipulator. The results are presented from the ground and flight experimental sessions completed at the Spacecraft Robotics Laboratory of the Naval Postgraduate School, the Intelligent Robotics Group facility at NASA Ames Research Center, and hopping maneuvers aboard the International Space Station. Overall, this study demonstrates that locomotion through mechanical actuation could successfully launch a free-flyer vehicle in an initial desired trajectory from another object of similar size and mass.

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Satellite Servicing Projects Division Restore-L Propellant Transfer Subsystem Progress 2020

Cited by 12 publications

References 5 publications

The ReSWARM microgravity flight experiments: Planning, control, and model estimation for on‐orbit close proximity operations

The ReSWARM microgravity flight experiments: Planning, control, and model estimation for on‐orbit close proximity operations

Design and Analysis of a Novel Floating Docking Mechanism for On-Orbit Refueling

Orbital hopping maneuvers with two Astrobee free-flyers: Ground and flight experiments

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