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Robotics

Encyclopedia
Updated Feb 12, 2024

Contents

Introduction

Robotics are critical for human spaceflight as they enhance mission success by enabling dexterous manipulation, autonomous vehicle operation, and efficient system management, thereby reducing human risk and expanding the capabilities for exploration in the challenging environments of space. Johnson Space Center (JSC) provides research, engineering, development, integration and testing of robotic hardware and software technologies for robotic systems applications in support of human spaceflight. Advanced robotic systems technology efforts include both remotely controlled robots for space and terrestrial application and intelligent robotics for high value functionality. JSC technology development laboratories have produced the Robonaut, an anthropomorphic robot with dexterity close to that of humans, and the Lunar Electric Rover.  

JSC’s capabilities encompass a wide range of expertise in robotics and vehicle development. We focus on the design and development of highly dexterous manipulators, including aspects such as force-controlled manipulation, variable stiffness joints, human-like end effectors, integrated machine vision, and human-compatible robot operations. We also design and develop electric vehicles for use in extreme environments, whether on Earth or in outer space, addressing features like active suspension systems, efficient transmissions, vehicle autonomy and navigation, efficient motor control, and high voltage DC systems. Additionally, JSC’s capabilities extend to the design of robotic interfaces, free-flying robotic micro/nanosatellite-class platforms, analysis of capture and berthing of free-flying vehicles, simulation and verification of robotic workstation interfaces, physical emulation of robotic devices, development of intra-vehicular robotics concepts for crew-tended spacecraft, and the creation of vehicle systems management concepts with a focus on operational autonomy through a distributed, hierarchical architecture with clear interface definitions and redundancies for data in case of failure or degradation. 

We invite our partners to unlock the future of innovation and efficiency by leveraging our unparalleled robotics services and expertise tailored to meet your specific needs. 

Surface Mobility

Surface Mobility and Exploration Robotics (Rover Technology) 

Overview | Design and development of electric vehicles for extra-planetary or terrestrial surface mobility and exploration. 

Details |

  • Design and development of electric vehicles for extra-planetary or terrestrial off-road use in extreme environments
  • Active suspension systems 
  • Efficient transmissions
  • Vehicle autonomy and navigation 
  • Efficient motor control 
  • High voltage DC systems 

NASA’s Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV) is an example vehicle. The SEV surface concept has a small, pressurized cabin mounted on a wheeled chassis to enable a mobile form of exploration. 

  • Physical emulation of robotic devices with motion platforms 
  • Development of Intra-vehicular robotics concepts for remote operations in crew tended spacecraft 
  • Development of vehicle systems management concepts to provide in situ operational autonomy using 
  • Distributed, hierarchical architecture 
  • Clear definitions of interfaces and interdependencies
  • Careful design of locus of authority 
  • Redundancies for data collected in case of failure or degradation 
  • Robotic capture and berthing analysis of free-flying vehicles 

Surface Robotics and Mobility 

Overview | The current architectures proposed for crewed planetary missions include significant periods of time in which the planetary base of operations remains dormant with no crew present. During this dormancy period, robotics can be used to maximize the use of the time while crew is present, as well as enable mission objectives which would otherwise not be possible. The Surface Robotics and Mobility team is an interdivisional working group that aims to propose, design, and test robotic concepts that enable the mission of human spaceflight by utilizing this time. Potential robotic operations include logistics transfer and staging, site preparation, and maintenance tasks. 

Details |

  • Concept development of electric vehicles for extra-planetary or terrestrial off-road use in extreme environments
  • Active suspension systems 
  • Vehicle autonomy and navigation 
  • Efficient motor control 
  • Physical emulation of robotic devices with motion platforms
  • Development of Intra-vehicular robotics concepts for remote operations in crew tended spacecraft
  • Development of Extra-vehicular systems management concepts to provide in situ operational autonomy 
  • Large scale element mobility concepts 
  • Clear definitions of interfaces and interdependencies 
  • Robotic docking and berthing concepts and analysis
  • Interfaces with industry leaders to develop spaceflight partnerships 
  • Testing and data transparency to inform key architectural decisions outside the team 
  • Robot-compatible interface development and testing (i.e. fluid, gas, & power transfer) 

Rover Wheel Module Development Expertise 

Overview | Expertise is available for the design and development of roving vehicle wheel modules including wheel drive, steering, and suspension actuators. 

Details | Full cycle wheel module actuation design and development from initial design choices (redundancy, control scheme, motor topology, instrumentation) to mechanical design, fabrication, assembly and test of actuators and wheel systems 

Humanoid Robotics

Humanoid Robotics 

Overview | Johnson Space Center (JSC) provides research, engineering, development, integration and testing of robotic hardware and software technologies for robotic systems applications in support of human spaceflight. Advanced robotic systems technology efforts include both remotely controlled robots for space and terrestrial application and intelligent robotics for high value functionality and their interoperability. JSC technology development laboratories have produced anthropomorphic robots with dexterity close to that of humans, Robonaut and Valkyrie. 

Details |

  • Design and development of highly dexterous manipulators
  • Force-controlled manipulation 
  • Variable stiffness joints 
  • Human-like end effectors 
  • Integrated machine vision
  • Human-compatible robot operations 
  • Design and development of robotic interfaces 
  • Robotic interface and system requirements definition and verification 
  • Simulation and verification of robotic workstation interfaces 
  • Physical emulation of robotic devices with motion platforms 

Electric Dexterous Manipulator Testbed (eDMT) 

Overview | The Electric Dexterous Manipulator Testbed (eDMT) is used for testing space robotic payloads, interfaces, and concepts of operation for ISS and future Moon and Mars exploration missions. It consists of two six-jointed, electromechanical, Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) serial manipulators. The larger Yaskawa Motoman manipulator is capable of handling heavy payloads and is integrated with an emulator for the International Space Station (ISS) Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) end effector. The smaller Kuka manipulator is more portable and capable of running real-time dynamic simulations for a wider variety of applications. The Kuka robot is still being commissioned. 

Details |

Testbed Features: 

  • Closed-loop force and moment accommodation
  • Detailed force and position metrology 
  • Mounted T-slot tables for mockup integration 
  • On-orbit Tool Change Mechanism Emulator (OTCME) end effector for grasping standard interfaces 
  • Optical motion tracking 

Yaskawa Motoman ES165RD-II:  

  • 3 meter reach 
  • 165 kg payload capacity 
  • Permanent mount in facility 

Kuka KR70 R2100: 

  • 2.1 meter reach 
  • 70 kg payload capacity 
  • Fast response to sensor feedback, ideal for handling delicate payloads and testing autonomous operations 
  • Pedestal mounted in facility, but lightweight enough to transport via forklift for integrated testing 

Additional Capabilities

Integrated Mobile Evaluation Testbed for Robotics Operations (iMETRO) 

Overview | iMETRO is designed to catalyze the adaptation of advanced terrestrial robotic technologies for space exploration use cases, such as logistics, maintenance, and science utilization within environments designed for human exploration on the Lunar and Martian surfaces. The iMETRO focus is on Intra-Vehicular Activity (IVA) environments, such as surface habitats, pressurized rover cabins, and space station internal modules. The iMETRO goal is to increase the availability of end-to-end systems enabling remote operation of robots in space supervised by humans on Earth. These systems include ground control user interfaces and software for managing robot remote control with realistic latency, bandwidth, and coverage interruptions for various mission environments (e.g., Low Earth Orbit, cis-Lunar, Lunar Surface, Mars Surface). 

Details |

iMETRO Virtual and Physical Components 

  • The virtual facility includes open-source robot configurations (e.g., URDF) for iMETRO robots as well as models of mock-ups for space use cases, such as the crew access hatch and logistics stowage task trainer. 
  • The physical facility consists of a range of facility features and robot options. A variety of mock-ups and task trainers are available, and additional customized mockups can be designed and constructed by JSC staff for mission scenarios as needed. 

Facility Features 

  • ROS2 compatible software interfaces 
  • Frame-mounted PTZ cameras 
  • Remote operator situational awareness
  • Optical tracking ground truth for pose estimation and navigation 
  • Isolated robot network with configurable latency and bandwidth restrictions (currently a future planned capability) 

iMETRO assets 

  • Mobile
  • Relocatable 
  • Work with other facilities and larger mockups 
  • Gravity offload facility (ARGOS) 
  • Extra-vehicular robot facility (eDMT) 
  • Robots working inside large mockups in the adjacent high bay 

Robot Options 

  • Linear rail-mounted single manipulator (available now) 
  • Universal Robots UR10e 
  • Robotiq hand-E Gripper w/ Custom Fingers
  • Vention horizontally mounted 2.0m linear rail 
  • Ewellix Telescoping Lift Kit with 700mm Stroke 
  • Intel® RealSense™ Wrist-Mounted Depth Camera 
  • Mobile Base Dual Manipulator (coming in 2024) 
  • Universal Robots UR5e (2x)
  • Robotiq Hand-E Grippers with Custom Fingers 
  • Arms mounted to dual, independent lift-kits of 500mm Stroke 
  • Clearpath Ridgeback Wheeled Mobile Base 
  • Intel® RealSense™ Wrist-Mounted Depth Cameras 
  • Bring Your Own Sensors and/or End Effectors
  • Utilize standard interfaces 
  • Bring Your Own Robot 
  • Test custom configurations with iMETRO space application mock-ups and end effectors 

Robotics Human Machine Interface Development 

Overview | JSC provides expertise in software and displays for robotics operations both on-orbit and in Mission Control Center (MCC) that maximizes safety and increases automation in robotics operations. 

Details |

  • Develop displays and video overlays that present the crew with vehicle telemetry in intuitive ways
  • Creation of a software development environment that assists operators and flight-controllers in the development of automation products such as scripts, procedures, and command plans 

Robotics Sustaining Engineering for Human-Rated Space Vehicles 

Overview | Expertise is available in maintaining a safe efficient robotic capability to maximize science and robotic operational life and sustaining engineering and systems management for on-orbit robotics, including these on ISS, Gateway, and Low-Earth Orbit vehicle providers. 

Details |

  • Robotic Mission Planning Review (Procedure review/update, Flight Rules, etc.)
  • Real-time robotics system expertise for nominal and off-nominal operations
  • Anomaly investigation and resolution of technical issues with robotic systems and interfaces to dependent systems 
  • Define, update, and maintain robotic system requirements and verifications 
  • Review change proposals, waivers, deviations, and exceptions 
  • Perform trending of robotics systems health 
  • Integration support with external equipment
  • Provide software build feature/capability priorities to robotic SW designers (in house or out) 
  • Testing and evaluation of payloads for robotic compatibility (including Flight Support Equipment and latching) 
  • Perform Berthing Camera/Target System implementation tasks for Visiting Vehicles and payload, including overlay development 
  • Visiting Vehicle robotic development support 
  • Integration of payloads as pertains to robotic compatibility
  • Development of robotics requirements for payload handling 
  • Review exceptions to requirements and initial verification products 
  • Coordinate issues/concerns/questions with SMEs 
  • Review verification submittals 
  • Coordinate operations
  • Robotics Human-Machine Interface 
  • Develop some integrated SW that utilizes vehicle telemetry to report data to users in intuitive ways 
  • Develop SW to assist operators in development of on-console products 

Robotics Performance Analysis 

Overview | JSC provides robotics analysis for multi-system studies for robotically capturing space vehicles and docking them to a host vehicle. 

Details |

  • Expertise in Robotic Dynamic Analysis
  • Failed capture analysis 
  • Release Analysis 
  • Berthing Analysis 

Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS) 

Overview | Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS) is designed to simulate reduced gravity environments from earth gravity to microgravity. A continuous dynamic offload of a subject’s weight (or portion thereof) is maintained by a robotic motion control system that actively follows the subject’s motion within the system’s operational volume. ARGOS is capable of offloading humans (both in shirtsleeves and space suits), small rovers, and robots for testing, training, process development, and human research in simulated reduced gravity environments. 

Details | ARGOS 2 resembles an overhead bridge crane 41 x 24 x 25 feet in size. Sensors in the horizontal axes (X and Y) and vertical axis (Z) obtain displacement and force changes of the payload, allowing a computer-controlled winch to provide superimposed constant force offload above the payload’s center of mass. 

ARGOS 2 Specifications 

  • 750lb offload capability 
  • 13’(X) x 30’(Y) x 15’(Z) workspace 
  • System wide communication for test subjects and support teams 
  • Motion tracking supported by ABF
  • NASA Space suit support supported by Crew and Thermal Systems Division 
  • Pressurized breathing air 
  • Cooling water for suits 

Motion capabilities 

  • Suited Configuration: 4 ft/s vertical, 6.5 ft/s horizontal 
  • Unsuited configuration: 11 ft/s vertical, 6.5 ft/s horizontal  Variety of Gimbals (payload interfaces) to support suited, unsuited, and unmanned testing

Supported Test Types 

  • Suited or unsuited
  • EVA in microgravity, Lunar, or Martian gravity environments 
  • EVA tools, process development 
  • Biometric studies in reduced gravity environments 
  • Robotic systems payloads 
  • New test types are possible 

Technology Development for Human Health and Performance (Wearable Robotics)

Overview | Johnson Space Center’s (JSC’s) HumanWorks Lab provides human health and performance technology development, incubation, and integration for human spaceflight. 

Details |

  • Provides tools to address human health and performance gaps while collaborating with external partners 
  • Wearable robotics for assistance, exercise, rehabilitation 
  • Physiology sensing technologies 
  • Human health data applications
  • Gamification of training and exercise 
  • General prototyping, innovation, collaboration 
NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg,Expedition 36 flight engineer, is pictured with Robonaut 2,the first humanoid robot in space, in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. 
The hands of Robonaut 2, nicknamed R2, are pictured during initial checkouts in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.
The International Space Station’s Canadarm2 unberths the Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Cygnus spacecraft after several weeks at the space station. NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins, with assistance from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, both Expedition 38 flight engineers, used the station’s 57-foot Canadarm2 robotic arm to detach Cygnus from the Earth-facing port of the Harmony node at 5:15 a.m. (EST) on Feb. 18, 2014. While Wakata monitored data and kept in contact with the team at Houston’s Mission Control Center, Hopkins released Cygnus from the robotic arm at 6:41 a.m. Earth’s horizon and the blackness of space provide the backdrop for the scene.
NASA’s Valkyrie (R5) robot 

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