Small Space Robots for In-orbit Operations

人们越来越有兴趣部署机器人航天器进行一系列在轨作业，包括组装和维修任务。这些活动包括建造大型结构、在使命即将结束时对功能正常的航天器进行现场维修以及清理空间碎片。以前的技术演示，如轨道快车和实验测试卫星，使用中型至大型机器人航天器，目前的工业趋势是建造更大的机器人航天器，以处理不断增长的目标系统。然而，很少有研究探讨低成本、缩小规模的替代品的可行性。该项目旨在研究小型航天器的实用性，以及两个相同的系统如何对接并重新配置为连体双机器人系统。第一代这种小型机器人航天器将在下文中被称为“Twin-Sat”。Twin-Sat的优点之一是，它将导致创建一个更稳定，更大的具有双臂的基础航天器，用于执行重型任务，从而提高其能力。另一个优点是，连体双胞胎将能够解耦成单独的航天器，使他们能够处理小规模的任务，需要多个agents.The主要目标，这项研究是进行系统级机电设计迭代，以确定最佳尺寸的单一系统，以及建模的动态特性的两个相同的，对接的空间机器人;“双卫星”。除此之外，还将评估机械臂的灵活性和有效载荷能力（有和没有内置顺应性）。这项研究还将提供空间机器人的详细工程模型，不同操作条件下Twin-Sat的控制算法，以及基于广泛模拟和实验验证的尺寸建议。该项目部分由萨里卫星技术有限公司（SSTL）资助，于2018年10月开始。

There is an increasing interest to deploy robotic spacecraft for a range of in-orbit operations; including assembly and servicing missions. These involve building large structures, the in-situ repair of functional spacecraft approaching the end of their mission, and the cleaning-up of space debris. Previous technology demonstrations, such as Orbital Express and the Experimental Test Satellite use medium to large robotic spacecraft, and the current trend in the industry is towards building larger robotic spacecraft to handle the ever-growing size of target systems. However, few studies have looked into the feasibility of a low cost, downsized alternative. This project is tailored to look at the utility of a small spacecraft and how two identical systems can dock and reconfigure into a conjoined twin robotic system. The first generation of this small robotic spacecraft will be hereafter referred to as "Twin-Sat". One of the advantages of Twin-Sat is that it will result in creating a more stable and bigger base spacecraft with dual arms for executing heavy duty tasks, therefore increasing its capability. The other advantage is that the conjoined twins would be capable of decoupling themselves into individual spacecraft, allowing them to handle small-scale tasks that require multiple agents.The key objectives of this research are to conduct a system level electro-mechanical design iteration to determine the optimum sizing of the single system as well as to model the dynamic characteristics of two identical, docked space robots; "Twin-Sat". Further to this the dexterity and payload capacity of the robotic arm, with and without in-built compliance will be assessed. This research will also deliver a detailed engineering model of the space robot, control algorithms for Twin-Sat under different operating conditions, and size recommendations based on extensive simulation and experimental validation. This project is partly funded by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) and began in October 2018.