Human Robotic Systems (HRS): Robotic Technologies for Asteroid Missions
Project Introduction
During 2014, the Robotic Technologies for Asteroid Missions activity has four tasks: Asteroid Retrieval Capture Mechanism Development and Testbed; Mission Operations Tools for Asteroid Capture and Retrieval; Prototype Anchoring End Effector for Asteroid with Sensors; and Develop Prototype Tendon-Actuated Manipulators to Enable In-Space Operations. The full descriptions for each task within this project element are listed under individual Technologies below:
More »Anticipated Benefits
Very early development of asteroid technologies as a scaled R&D effort has the potential to greatly reduce development cost and schedule once mission requirements are set. The Asteroid Redirect Mission will benefit from the engineering data, analyses, designs, and results of prototyped hardware tests, which will inform asteroid mission planner decisions as mission concepts mature and are studied in more detail.
Future missions to Mars or the moon, such as Mars 2020, could benefit from the engineering data, analyses, designs, and results of prototyped anchoring and sensing hardware tests from this study.
The long-reach, tendon-activated manipulator research could lead to new capabilities that could be used on commercial space vehicles for astronaut positioning, payload deployment at the International Space Station, in-space assembly and construction, satellite servicing and repair, or spacecraft berthing operations.
The technology developed for the network of anchoring end-effectors with sensors, which can be robotically implanted, could benefit the USGS with research for earthquake prediction.
More »Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Johnson Space Center
(JSC)
|
Lead Organization | NASA Center | Houston, TX |
| Caltech Community Seismic Network (CSN) | Supporting Organization | Academic | Pasadena, CA |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(JPL)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Pasadena, CA |
|
Langley Research Center
(LaRC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Hampton, VA |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
California
-
Texas
-
Virginia
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Organizational Responsibility
Responsible Mission Directorate:
- Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
Lead Center / Facility:
- Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Responsible Program:
- Game Changing Development
Project Management
Program Director:
Program Manager:
Project Manager:
Principal Investigator:
Project Duration
Technology Areas
Primary:
- TA 4 Robotics and Autonomous Systems
- TA 4.1 Sensing and Perception
- TA 4.1.2 State Estimation
Other / Cross-cutting:
- TA 4 Robotics and Autonomous Systems
- TA 4.1 Sensing and Perception
- TA 4.1.5 Force and Tactile Sensing
- TA 4.2 Mobility
- TA 4.2.4 Small-Body and Microgravity Mobility
- TA 4.2.6 Robot Navigation
- TA 4.2.7 Collaborative Mobility
- TA 4.2.8 Mobility Components
- TA 4.3 Manipulation
- TA 4.3.1 Manipulator Components
- TA 4.3.2 Dexterous Manipulation
- TA 4.3.4 Mobile Manipulation
- TA 4.3.7 Grappling
- TA 4.6 Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking
- TA 4.6.2 GN&C Algorithms