A worksite surveyor for Canadarm3: ensuring safe operation of Canada's next-generation space manipulator

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Canada is internationally recognized as a leader in space robotics. This leadership began with the development of the original Canadarm, first launched in 1981 on board Space Shuttle Columbia. The next major Canadian contribution to space exploration will be Canadarm3, an advanced robotic manipulator for the US-led Lunar Gateway. The Gateway is a lunar outpost that will enable sustained human exploration of the Moon. Canadarm3 will operate aboard Gateway, which will orbit the Moon beginning in the mid-2020s, supporting missions to the lunar surface, serving as a science laboratory, and acting as a proving ground for exploration missions deeper into space. Because of Gateway's location some 400,000 kilometres from Earth, communication will be limited and delayed. Canadarm3 will therefore need to be highly autonomous and to operate without constant supervision from the ground. The Alliance research program will develop new capabilities in the area of vision-based anomaly detection to enable safe movement of the Canadarm3 around the Gateway structure. In collaboration with the primary Canadarm3 contractor, MDA Inc., we will leverage machine learning to create accurate 3D occupancy maps from monocular camera images acquired under variable and difficult lighting conditions in lunar orbit. The occupancy maps will be compared with curated maps of the structure to automatically identify deviations that may be a safety hazard. The same hazard-identification technology has applications for the servicing of satellites operating in Earth orbit.