Failure detection, isolation and recovery systems for space robotics: A literature review

To support operators with the handling of failures, Failure Detection, Isolation and Recovery (FDIR) systems are developed. Also for ERA, the European Robot Arm, means to support the astronauts with the handling of failures are needed. To prepare NLR for the design of such means, a literature review with respect to the applicability of automatic...

Aiding the operator in the manual control of a space manipulator

When an operator has to control a space manipulator manually he is faced with several difficulties. Three problems were investigated: Lack of direct vision, up to 6 degrees-of-freedom (DOF) to be controlled, and slow and complex dynamics. The results showed that reference lines enhance the 3D perception; further autonation of the insert task led...

Failure Detection, Isolation and Recovery system concept for the European Robotic Arm

Currently Fokker Space B.V. is developing the European Robotic Arm (ERA) under contract of the European Space Agency (ESA). ERA's main mission is the assembly and servicing of the Russian Segment of the International Space Station Alpha. The purpose of this paper is to describe how the safety requirements, given the specific possibilities and...

Teleoperation experiment plan

Man-machine research issues with respect to teleoperation are identified. The main application which is considered is the External Robot Arm (ERA). Resulting experiments are described to a level that requirements for the future test facility can be derived. Identified research issues are categorized as planning, observability (visibility and...

De regeling van het Mach getal in de hoge snelheids tunnel van het NLR

The High Speed wind Tunnel (HST) of the National Aerospace Laboratory NLR is one of the major transonic windtunnels and is used for aerodynamic research on scale models. The measurements require the control of the Mach number. Two kinds of controller tasks can be distinguished: keeping the Mach number constant, and realizing a different Mach...