| Story Views | |
| Now: | |
| Last Hour: | |
| Last 24 Hours: | |
| Total: | |
Robotics Refueling Research Scores Huge Leap At Space Station
Canada’s Dextre robot (highlight) and NASA’s Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) experiment jointly performed groundbreaking robotics research aboard the ISS in March 2012. Dextre used its hands to grasp specialized work tools on the RRM for first-of-its-kind precision motion experiments to demonstrate remotely controlled repair and refueling of orbiting satellites. Credit: NASA
A combined team of American and Canadian engineers has taken a major first step forward by successfully applying new, first-of-its-kind robotics research conducted aboard the International Space Station to the eventual repair and refueling of high value orbiting space satellites, and which has the potential to one day bring about billions of dollars in cost savings for the government and commercial space sectors.
Gleeful researchers from both nations shouted “Yeah !!!” – after successfully using the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) experiment – bolted outside the ISS- as a technology test bed to demonstrate that a remotely controlled robot in the vacuum of space could accomplish delicate work tasks requiring extremely precise motion control. The revolutionary robotics experiment could extend the usable operating life of satellites already in Earth orbit that were never even intended to be worked upon.
“After dedicating many months of professional and personal time to RRM, it was a great emotional rush and a reassurance for me to see the first video stream from an RRM tool,” said Justin Cassidy in an exclusive interview with Universe Today. Cassidy is RRM Hardware Manager at the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.(…)
Read the rest of Robotics Refueling Research Scores Huge Leap at Space Station (1,464 words)
© Ken Kremer for Universe Today, 2012. | Permalink | No comment |
Post tags: CSA, Dextre, International Space Station (ISS), ISS, NASA, Robotic Refueling Mission, robotics, RRM, Space Shutttle Atlantis, STS-135
Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh
Source:
