Integrated Planning and Control for On-Orbit Capture

The focus of the proposed work is on capturing and manipulation of objects in orbit using robotic arms. This is a difficult problem because the motions of such objects can be estimated online, but are hard to predict exactly over long time horizons. Fast computational methods are needed to safely approach such objects. Typically, capture depends on fixtures to, e.g., enable a robotic arm to grapple a satellite. The interaction between the arm and fixture is subject to geometric, kinematic, and dynamic constraints. We propose a software solution for planning and control based on the Robot Operating System (ROS) 2, which forms the basis for Space ROS, the flight hardened robotics software infrastructure for space. This proposed development will enable enhanced control for on-orbit capture of space assets and increase the overall efficiency and safety of Space Force operations. The core technology is agnostic to specific robot hardware and has already been demonstrated on a variety of robots performing a range of tasks (e.g., door/drawer opening, surface inspection, grasping objects). We are leading the development of MoveIt, the manipulation and planning framework in ROS.