Towards the Automation in the Space Station: Feasibility Study and Ground Tests of a Multi-Limbed Intra-Vehicular Robot

TL;DR

This study investigates the feasibility of an autonomous multi-limbed robot to assist astronauts on the ISS, demonstrating through simulations and ground tests that it can perform logistical tasks with minimal human input.

Contribution

It introduces a new intra-vehicular robot prototype and evaluates its autonomous transportation capabilities for space station tasks.

Findings

Successful simulation of 3D motion planning

Prototype tests show effective 2D microgravity environment performance

Minimal human intervention required for task execution

Abstract

This paper presents a feasibility study, including simulations and prototype tests, on the autonomous operation of a multi-limbed intra-vehicular robot (mobile manipulator), shortly MLIVR, designed to assist astronauts with logistical tasks on the International Space Station (ISS). Astronauts spend significant time on tasks such as preparation, close-out, and the collection and transportation of goods, reducing the time available for critical mission activities. Our study explores the potential for a mobile manipulator to support these operations, emphasizing the need for autonomous functionality to minimize crew and ground operator effort while enabling real-time task execution. We focused on the robot's transportation capabilities, simulating its motion planning in 3D space. The actual motion execution was tested with a prototype on a 2D table to mimic a microgravity environment. The results demonstrate the feasibility of performing these tasks with minimal human intervention, offering a promising solution to enhance operational efficiency on the ISS.