Reconfigurable ground and flight testing facility for robotic servicing, capture, and assembly
Reconfigurable ground and flight testing facility for robotic servicing, capture, and assembly
复制标题
用于机器人维修、捕获和组装的可重新配置的地面和飞行测试设施
DOI：
10.1109/aero.2016.7500526
复制
发表时间：
2016
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
A. Saenz
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
D. Sternberg;Andrew Hilton;Duncan Miller;Bryan McCarthy;Christopher Jewison;D. Roascio;J. James;A. Saenz
随着太空任务变得越来越复杂，工程师必须越来越多地依靠多卫星操作来完成各种任务目标。一些自主机器人服务和轨道资产组装的概念已经出现，这些概念依赖于独立控制元件的近距离操作。这些架构本质上与任务风险的增加有关。因此，任务设计者经常依靠飞行前测试来降低风险。不幸的是，从历史上看，这一过程导致了专用测试平台的开发，这些测试平台为有限数量的任务架构提供了风险降低。本文描述了同步位置保持接合重新定向实验卫星（SPHERES）设施的扩展，该设施允许前所未有的可重构性。这个SPHERES扩展集成了硬件和软件，可以通过地面、模拟和飞行测试对任务类别的控制算法进行TRL6验证。SPHERES设施由位于麻省理工学院空间系统实验室和国际空间站（ISS）的两组三颗相同的卫星组成，正在升级为包括六个SPHERES对接端口（sdp）和两个SPHERES Halo多端口扩展结构。对接端口允许两个装备sdp的元件相互对接，Halo结构允许装备Halo的卫星通过包含六个相同的机电扩展端口同时操作多达六个外围设备。这种硬件可用于地面3自由度空气运输系统的测试，也可用于国际空间站6自由度长时间微重力环境的测试。SPHERES仿真环境是六自由度卫星的高保真模型，也正在升级，以包括这些硬件扩展。本文描述了硬件和软件升级的设计，以及它们将创建的预期测试平台功能。它详细介绍了这种独特的设施如何能够进行全面的测试，以确定未来机器人维修和组装任务的行为特征，以及多颗卫星之间的相互作用。还描述了一系列计划的、递增的国际空间站上的测试，以演示地面、模拟和飞行测试可以建设性地结合起来的过程，以减少与这些多卫星架构相关的风险。来自地面、模拟和失重飞行器环境的结果显示支持计划中的国际空间站运行。
As space missions grow more complex, engineers must rely increasingly on multi-satellite operations to accomplish various mission objectives. Several concepts have emerged for autonomous robotic servicing and assembly of orbiting assets which rely on close proximity operation of independently controlled elements. These architectures are inherently associated with increased levels of mission risk. Consequently, mission architects often rely on pre-flight testing for risk mitigation. Unfortunately, this process historically has led to the development of dedicated testbeds that provide risk reduction for a limited number of mission architectures. This paper describes an extension to the Synchronized Position Hold Engage Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) facility that allows for unprecedented reconfigurability. This SPHERES extension incorporates hardware and software that can enable TRL6 verification of control algorithms for classes of missions through ground, simulation, and flight testing. The SPHERES facility, consisting of two sets of three identical satellites located at both the MIT Space Systems Laboratory and on the International Space Station (ISS), is being upgraded to include six SPHERES Docking Ports (SDPs) and two SPHERES Halo multi-port expansion structures. The docking ports allow two SDP-equipped elements to dock with each other, and the Halo structures allow for a Halo-equipped satellite to operate up to six peripherals simultaneously through the inclusion of six identical electromechanical expansion ports. This hardware is available for testing on the ground with 3-DOF air carriage systems and aboard the ISS in its 6-DOF long duration microgravity environment. The SPHERES simulation environment, a high-fidelity model of the satellites in 6-DOF, is also being upgraded to include these hardware expansions. This paper describes the design of the hardware and software upgrades, and the expected testbed capabilities they will create. It details how this unique facility enables comprehensive testing to determine the behavior characteristics of future robotic servicing and assembly missions and the interactions between multiple satellites operating in close proximity. A sequence of planned, incremental test sessions aboard the ISS is also described to demonstrate the process by which ground, simulation, and flight testing can be combined constructively to reduce risks associated with these multi-satellite architectures. Results from ground, simulation, and reduced gravity aircraft environments are shown in support of the planned ISS operations.