Session
Session XII: Advanced Technologies II
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
Advanced technology is emerging that can now provide rudimentary on-orbit spacecraft fabrication, assembly, and repair. New research was started in 2013 to develop a CubeSat-sized spacecraft capable of performing telerobotic surgery on an existing asset. The surgical functions involved freeing a snagged appendage, cutting and splicing into a wire harness, cleaning a surface, repairing thermal insulation, and cutting/welding structure via laser technology. Through testbed demonstrations at Northrop, technology was developed for a number of these critical mission needs. These involved development of a miniature 6 DOF propulsion system, creating monitoring sensing methods that work under various lighting conditions over a very wide field of regard, target attaching with retractable catheter articulation, and performing a variety of articulated surgical operations using slaved commanding from telerobotic controls. The evolution for many of these technologies was through rapid prototyping and continuous improvement testing on an air bearing testbed to understand utility, reliability, and predictability. Miniature 7 DOF arms use interchangeable 4 DOF end effectors to perform surgical operations. This paper overviews the technology developed for these systems and provides foundational lessons for a surgical microsat.
Development of a MicroSat for On-Orbit Satellite Surgery
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Advanced technology is emerging that can now provide rudimentary on-orbit spacecraft fabrication, assembly, and repair. New research was started in 2013 to develop a CubeSat-sized spacecraft capable of performing telerobotic surgery on an existing asset. The surgical functions involved freeing a snagged appendage, cutting and splicing into a wire harness, cleaning a surface, repairing thermal insulation, and cutting/welding structure via laser technology. Through testbed demonstrations at Northrop, technology was developed for a number of these critical mission needs. These involved development of a miniature 6 DOF propulsion system, creating monitoring sensing methods that work under various lighting conditions over a very wide field of regard, target attaching with retractable catheter articulation, and performing a variety of articulated surgical operations using slaved commanding from telerobotic controls. The evolution for many of these technologies was through rapid prototyping and continuous improvement testing on an air bearing testbed to understand utility, reliability, and predictability. Miniature 7 DOF arms use interchangeable 4 DOF end effectors to perform surgical operations. This paper overviews the technology developed for these systems and provides foundational lessons for a surgical microsat.
