NASDA's activities in space robotics

Abstract

Space robots are indispensable tools the reaction wheels were run-downed and for future space missions such a s building1 switched off. This mission gave us a lot of insight operation of the international space station, about the rendezvous docking and space robot realization of on-orbit satellite servicing operations. (inspection, logistic support, repair, rescue from stranded orbit etc.), and lunarlplanetary explorations. NASDA has various space robot related projects a s follows. Retrieval of Japan's free flyer (SFU) by the shuttle's manipulator which was conducted by NASDA astronaut Wakata in January 1996 (STS-72). Manipulator Flight Demonstration (MFD) on the space shuttle which was conducted in August 1997 (STS-85). Space robot experiments which are being conducted on the Engineering Test Satellite7 (ETS-VII) A remote manipulator system (JEMRMS) for the Japanese experiment module of the international space station This paper introduces these projects and shows the most up-to-date results of the ETS-VII robot experiments which are being conducted in space. 1. Retr ieva l of a f ree flyer (SFU) by t h e s h u t t l e man ipu la to r (Ref.1) A team of Japan's national agencies (ISASI NASDAI MITI) developed and launched a free flyer named SFU in March, 1995. Mission of SFU was to conduct material and life science experiments in the micro-gravity environment. This free flyer was designed to be launched by NASDA's H-I1 rocket and to be retrieved by the space shuttle. The retrieval mission was conducted in January 1996 and a NASDA astronaut, Mr. Wakata manipulated the shuttle manipulator in this mission. In this retrieval mission, SFU made a slight orbital descent from its mission orbit to the rendezvous orbit (472km alt.) and waited there. The space shuttle made the ground-up rendezvous and approached SFU from beneath of i t (R-bar approach). When the shuttle's manipulator was positioned ahead of SFU, RCS of the shuttle was disabled and the shuttle manipulator grasped SFU. SFU maintained its attitude using reaction wheels while the space shuttle approached and grasped i t by the manipulator. After the shuttle's manipulator grasped SFU a t its grapple fixture, J apan ' s a free flyer( SFU) using the shutt le manipulator (STS-72 / 1996) 2. Manipu la to r F l igh t Demonst ra t ion (MFD) o n t h e space s h u t t l e (Ref.2) NASDA is now developing the Japanese experiment module's manipulator system (JEMRMS) to be used on the international space station. In order to verify design of the JEM's manipulator and its operation system, NASDA conducted the manipulator flight demonstration (MFD) mission on the shuttle cargo bay in 1997 by STS-85.