Disturbance effects observed during micro-gravity experiments on the Astrobee free-flyer and mitigation measures

Assistive free-flyer platforms have been deployed on board the International Space Station to demonstrate, test and validate autonomy algorithms. Prior to in-space execution, these algorithms are first tested in simulation or at a ground-testing facility. However, certain effects and disturbances unique to the microgravity test-facility can significantly impact the outcome of the experiments. Accounting for these effects is therefore crucial, given the limited access to micro-gravity. This paper presents the effects observed on NASA’s Astrobee freeflyer during the microgravity demonstration of the RATTLE online information-aware model-learning method and discusses the solutions implemented to address them. Through these findings, this article aims to enhance preparedness for future experiments aboard Astrobee and similar testing platforms.