From: lee.matheson@synapse.org (Lee Matheson) 
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: Automated space station construction
Date: 9 Nov 92 23:38:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: SYNAPSE BBS - GATINEAU, QUEBEC - 819-561-4321
Reply-To: lee.matheson@synapse.org (Lee Matheson) 

To: kcarroll@zoo.toronto.edu (Kieran A. Carroll)
From: lee.matheson@syanpse.org (Lee Matheson)

Kieran,

I saw your e-mail reply, and felt compelled to add to it.  Hope
you don't mind.  I've recently started work on the Space Station
program, ... but while I have added some more detailed notes,
I am far from an expert.  Anyway, comments are added below:

KAC>>Is anyone looking into robots with very limited autonomy? That is,
KAC>>under direction from a human, but able to execute instructions on
KAC>>their own for periods of, say, ten seconds?
KAC>>                                         Frank Crary
KAC>>                                         CU Boulder

KAC>Yes. The Canadian Space Agency (who are developing the Mobile
KAC>Servicing System for SSF) are spending about CDN$50M per year
KAC>on research into automating various aspects of MSS ....
KAC> ..... The idea is that
KAC>the baseline MSS will use control technologies very similar to
KAC>those used in the Canadarm, in order to expedite development.
KAC>Then, improvements will be added over the life of SSF as part of
KAC>the ``Evolutionary MSS'' program (funding still TBC). The work being
KAC>done now is more in the nature of up-front research and development,
KAC>so that the technologies that currently look interesting will have
KAC>been tested out prior to setting the requirements for the next
KAC>MSS increment.

Actually, CDR for the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS),
which is the name for the Space Station robotic arm, is scheduled for
December of this year.  Hence its design is pretty far advanced.

In addition CSA is actively planning on a second robotic device, smaller
but more dexterous than the large Space Station arm.  This smaller
robotic device is referred to as the "Special Purpose Dexterous
Manipulator", or "SPDM" for short.  SPDM has two very small arms, and
it is currently conceptually planned to operate on the end of the
Space Station Remote Manipulator System, or possibly operate on its
own on special "power data grapple fixtures" that are located
throughout the Space Station.  I think the Japanese Experimental
Module will also have its own robotic arm, but I don't know anything
about that.

KAC>Actually, some of that work looks likely to see
KAC>earlier use, perhaps even incorporation into the baseline MSS:
KAC>the CSA is looking into adding ground-control capability into baseline
KAC>MSS, largely to provide a means for dealing with the predicted
KAC>external maintenance task backlog (the existence of this backlog
KAC>was the main conclusion of the ``Fisher/Price''
KAC>report a couple of years ago; this report was probably the straw
KAC>that broke the back of the previous SSF configuration, and led to the
KAC>1991 re-design). With ground control, MSS could be operated almost
KAC>full-time during the period between flight 3 (when MSS is launched)
KAC>and PMC (when SSF will be permanently inhabited); without ground control,
KAC>it could be operated during this period only when a shuttle was docked,
KAC>which will be for something like 2 weeks out of every 3 months.

Operating from the ground would be a real challenge.  I believe that
there are several technical, and schedule related hurdles to over come
before ground operation is possible, ... one of which, I believe,
is that the Space Station video system may not be up and running until
around flight 5.  Without video it is pretty hard to operate the SSRMS
from the ground.  I believe there are other technical hurdles to over
come as well, but the video could be a real show stopper, until
flights  5/6 (around when MTC, "man tended capability" starts).
However if the ground system is in place, between MTC (flight-6) and
PMC (around flight 11, and please pardon the acronymns),
it may be feasible to operate the SSRMS from the ground when the
Shuttle is on the ground (and hence no astronauts) are in the station.

Lee Matheson, Ottawa
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Newsgroups: sci.space