A Control Architecture for Safe Human-Robotic Interactions During Lunar Surface Missions

Abstract

** †† ‡‡ Long duration human-robotic missions to the Moon and beyond will require increased use of automation beyond current Space Shuttle and International Space Station practice. This paper explores the application of a model- and state-based goal-oriented control architecture to solving the problem of coordinating activities between humans and robots to improve the reliability and safety of these interactions. A goal-oriented control system continuously enforces constraints on states of the system to achieve not only control goals, but also to enforce passive constraints, such as safety constraints, on those activities.