Research/ ORBITAL ROBOTICS
Satellite Servicing's Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking Testbed on the International Space Station
Bo J. Naasz, Matthew Strube, John M. Van Eepoel, Brent William Barbee, Kenneth M. Getzandanner
Rendezvous, Proximity Ops & DockingOpenAlex keyword: autonomous rendezvous and docking · Design, Mechanisms & HardwareOpenAlex keyword: avionics · Simulation, Digital Twins & Benchmarkstext match
Canadarm2, Dextre & Canadarm3named in abstract
OpenAlexSpace Satellite Systems and Control · Spacecraft Dynamics and Control · Space exploration and regulationNTRSSystems Analysis and Operations Research · Cybernetics, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
The Space Servicing Capabilities Project (SSCP) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has been tasked with developing systems for servicing space assets. Starting in 2009, the SSCP completed a study documenting potential customers and the business case for servicing, as well as defining several notional missions and required technologies. In 2010, SSCP moved to the implementation stage by completing several ground demonstrations and commencing development of two International Space Station (ISS) payloads-the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) and the Dextre Pointing Package (DPP)--to mitigate new technology risks for a robotic mission to service existing assets in geosynchronous orbit. This paper introduces the DPP, scheduled to fly in July of 2012 on the third operational SpaceX Dragon mission, and its Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (AR&D) instruments. The combination of sensors and advanced avionics provide valuable on-orbit demonstrations of essential technologies for servicing existing vehicles, both cooperative and non-cooperative.