Preliminary insights from the METERON SUPVIS Justin space-robotics experiment

Abstract

As the human race expands its horizon toward a multiplanetary existence, infrastructures on the target planets have to be constructed and maintained to pave the way for humans. The support of robotic coworkers plays a key role in setting up habitats, energy supplies, and return vehicles, until the completion of such infrastructures in the hazardous planetary environment. The operation of these robots require capabilities including autonomy, communication, and human-robot interface design to meet the challenges of the harsh conditions in space deployment. This letter examines these topics through German Aerospace Center (DLR) and European Space Agency's METERON SUPVIS Justin space telerobotics experiments, during that astronauts on-board the International Space Station command DLR's humanoid robot Rollin' Justin to survey and maintain a simulated Martian solar farm on Earth. Based on the first experiments conducted on August 25, 2017, this letter discusses several astronaut-robot collaboration concepts in real space-to-ground deployment and provides preliminary insights for future manned Mars missions.