Research/ ORBITAL ROBOTICS
Astrobee: A New Platform for Free-Flying Robotics on the International Space Station
Trey Smith, Jonathan S. Barlow, Maria G. Bualat, Terrence Fong, Christopher Provencher, Hugo Santiago Sánchez, Ernest E. Smith
Microgravity Mobility & Free-FlyersOpenAlex keyword: Astrobee · HRI & TeleoperationOpenAlex keyword: telerobotics · Rendezvous, Proximity Ops & DockingOpenAlex keyword: docking station
Astrobeenamed in title, abstract, keywords
OpenAlexSpace Satellite Systems and Control · Space Exploration and Technology · Spacecraft Design and TechnologyNTRSCybernetics, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
The Astrobees are next-generation free-flying robots that will operate in the interior of the International Space Station (ISS). Their primary purpose is to provide a flexible platform for research on zero-g freeflying robotics, with the ability to carry a wide variety of future research payloads and guest science software. They will also serve utility functions: as free-flying cameras to record video of astronaut activities, and as mobile sensor platforms to conduct surveys of the ISS. The Astrobee system includes two robots, a docking station, and a ground data system (GDS). It is developed by the Human Exploration Telerobotics 2 (HET-2) Project, which began in Oct. 2014, and will deliver the Astrobees for launch to ISS in 2017. This paper covers selected aspects of the Astrobee design, focusing on capabilities relevant to potential users of the platform.