A GRAVITY COMPENSATION SYSTEM FOR SIMULATION OF ON-ORBIT TELEROBOTIC OPERATIONS

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS A THREE-DIMENSIONAL, ELECTROMECHANICAL GRAVITY COMPENSATION SYSTEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF DUPLICATING ON-ORBIT TELEROBOTIC OPERATIONS. THE PROJECT OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP THIS CONCEPT TO THE POINT THAT THE SYSTEM PARAMETERS WILL ALLOW, AS A BASE-LINE,A FULL-SCALE FLIGHT VERSION OF THE SPACE STATION FLIGHT TELEROBOTIC SERVICER TO BE MANIPULATED WITH ROBUST GRAVITY COMPENSATION IN A TYPICAL HIGH-BAY FACILITY. ADDITIONAL OBJECTIVES INCLUDE DETERMINING THE RANGE OF THE SYSTEM'S OPERATIONAL ENVELOPE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE PARAMETERS OF THE CONTROL AND SENSING SYSTEMS AND TO VALIDATE SYSTEM DESIGN ASPECTS THROUGH BREADBOARD HARDWARE PLANNING, DESIGN,FABRICATION, AND TESTING. THE RESULTS OF THIS EFFORT WILL BE LEVEL 1 CONCEPT AND DEVELOPMENTAL DESIGN DRAWINGS (PER DOD DIRECTIVE 1000B) OF THE SYSTEM. THIS WILL PROVIDE NASA WITH AN INNOVATIVE, LOW-COST METHOD TO APPROXIMATE MORE CLOSELY ON-ORBIT TELEROBOTIC ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NOT WELL DUPLICATED IN A TRADITIONAL NEUTRAL BUOYANCY ENVIRONMENT. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS A THREE-DIMENSIONAL, ELECTROMECHANICAL GRAVITY COMPENSATION SYSTEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF DUPLICATING ON-ORBIT TELEROBOTIC OPERATIONS. THE PROJECT OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP THIS CONCEPT TO THE POINT THAT THE SYSTEM PARAMETERS WILL ALLOW, AS A BASE-LINE,A FULL-SCALE FLIGHT VERSION OF THE SPACE STATION FLIGHT TELEROBOTIC SERVICER TO BE MANIPULATED WITH ROBUST GRAVITY COMPENSATION IN A TYPICAL HIGH-BAY FACILITY. ADDITIONAL OBJECTIVES INCLUDE DETERMINING THE RANGE OF THE SYSTEM'S OPERATIONAL ENVELOPE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE PARAMETERS OF THE CONTROL AND SENSING SYSTEMS AND TO VALIDATE SYSTEM DESIGN ASPECTS THROUGH BREADBOARD HARDWARE PLANNING, DESIGN,FABRICATION, AND TESTING. THE RESULTS OF THIS EFFORT WILL BE LEVEL 1 CONCEPT AND DEVELOPMENTAL DESIGN DRAWINGS (PER DOD DIRECTIVE 1000B) OF THE SYSTEM. THIS WILL PROVIDE NASA WITH AN INNOVATIVE, LOW-COST METHOD TO APPROXIMATE MORE CLOSELY ON-ORBIT TELEROBOTIC ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NOT WELL DUPLICATED IN A TRADITIONAL NEUTRAL BUOYANCY ENVIRONMENT.