Washington DC (SPX) Jan 19, 2022 There are 6,500 satellites in orbit, but only about half of them...
As satellites have become more robust, their operators often find that fleets outlast their projected lifespans and need new technology, repairs, refueling or maintenance to stay competitive, relevant and operational.
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University will head a consortium selected by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to pioneer research into robotic inspection, maintenance and manufacturing of satellites and other structures while in orbit.
Led by principal investigator Howie Choset, CMU will collaborate with researchers at the University of New Mexico, Texas A and M, and Northrop Grumman Corporation to develop systems for intelligent inspection, dexterous maintenance and agile manufacturing of satellites in space.
Researchers intend to further develop existing technologies related to self-deployable construction tools, decentralized autonomy, attaching new components to existing structures while in orbit, and intelligent and interactive inspection.
"Our vision for basic and applied research will open a new frontier of opportunities to maximize the utility for satellites and other in-orbit assets by prolonging, enhancing or augmenting their mission capabilities," Choset said.
CMU's efforts will be led by Choset and Matt Travers, co-directors of the Robotics Institute's Biorobotics Lab; and Carmel Majidi, a professor of mechanical engineering in CMU's College of Engineering who specializes in soft robotics.
They will build on previous work by Choset and Travers with Northrop Grumman that evaluated robotics and AI for servicing satellites while in orbit and conducting assembly and manufacturing tasks in space.
Northrop Grumman has already had success with its Mission Extension Vehicles, the first that can dock with orbiting satellites with exhausted fuel supplies and provide propulsion and pointing control - extending their useful service lives.
"Servicing satellites in orbit will soon become vital to the operations of government and commercial missions," said Andy Kwas, a Northrop Grumman fellow and engineering systems architect.
The university's Land Air and Space Robotics Lab has decades of experience in satellite rendezvous, docking and proximity operations and best-in-class ground robot emulation.