Integrated Mechanical, Thermal, Data, and Power Transfer Interfaces for Future Space Robotics

In-situ connectability among modules of a space system can provide significantly enhanced flexibility, adaptability, and robustness for space exploration and servicing missions. Connection of modules in extra-terrestrial environment is hence a topic of rising importance in modern orbital or planetar...

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Main Authors: Xiu-Tian Yan, Wiebke Brinkmann, Roberto Palazzetti, Craig Melville, Youhua Li, Sebastian Bartsch, Frank Kirchner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Robotics and AI
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frobt.2018.00064/full
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author Xiu-Tian Yan
Wiebke Brinkmann
Roberto Palazzetti
Craig Melville
Youhua Li
Sebastian Bartsch
Frank Kirchner
author_facet Xiu-Tian Yan
Wiebke Brinkmann
Roberto Palazzetti
Craig Melville
Youhua Li
Sebastian Bartsch
Frank Kirchner
author_sort Xiu-Tian Yan
collection DOAJ
description In-situ connectability among modules of a space system can provide significantly enhanced flexibility, adaptability, and robustness for space exploration and servicing missions. Connection of modules in extra-terrestrial environment is hence a topic of rising importance in modern orbital or planetary missions. As an example, the increasing number of satellites sent to space have introduced a large set of connections of various type, for transferring mechanical loads, data, electrical power and heat from one module to another. This paper provides a comprehensive review of published work in space robotic connections and presents the different transfer types developed and used to date in robotic applications for orbital and extra-terrestrial planetary missions. The aims of this paper are to present a detailed analysis of the state of the art available technologies, to make an analysis of and comparison among different solutions to common problems, to synthesize and identify future connectability research, and to lay the foundation for future European space robotic connectability effort and work for a complex and growing important future space missions. All types are described in their base characteristics and evaluated for orbital and planetary environments. This analysis shows that despite the large number of connectors developed for each of the four functionalities (mechanical, thermal, data, and electrical power) here considered, the trend is that researchers are integrating more than one functionalizes into a single equipment or device, to reduce costs and improve standardization. The outcomes of this literature review have contributed toward the design of a future multifunctional, standard and scalable interface at the early stage of the Standard Interface for Robotic Manipulation of Payloads in Future Space Missions (SIROM) project, a European Commission funded Horizon 2020 project. SIROM interfaces will be employed by European prime contractors in future extra-terrestrial missions.
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spelling doaj.art-571871716a1b4839b6dc3aa9180786bf2022-12-21T23:16:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Robotics and AI2296-91442018-06-01510.3389/frobt.2018.00064325772Integrated Mechanical, Thermal, Data, and Power Transfer Interfaces for Future Space RoboticsXiu-Tian Yan0Wiebke Brinkmann1Roberto Palazzetti2Craig Melville3Youhua Li4Sebastian Bartsch5Frank Kirchner6SMeSTech Laboratory, DMEM Department, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United KingdomRobotics Innovation Center (DFKI-RIC), German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, Bremen, GermanySMeSTech Laboratory, DMEM Department, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United KingdomSMeSTech Laboratory, DMEM Department, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United KingdomSMeSTech Laboratory, DMEM Department, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United KingdomRobotics Innovation Center (DFKI-RIC), German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, Bremen, GermanyRobotics Innovation Center (DFKI-RIC), German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, Bremen, GermanyIn-situ connectability among modules of a space system can provide significantly enhanced flexibility, adaptability, and robustness for space exploration and servicing missions. Connection of modules in extra-terrestrial environment is hence a topic of rising importance in modern orbital or planetary missions. As an example, the increasing number of satellites sent to space have introduced a large set of connections of various type, for transferring mechanical loads, data, electrical power and heat from one module to another. This paper provides a comprehensive review of published work in space robotic connections and presents the different transfer types developed and used to date in robotic applications for orbital and extra-terrestrial planetary missions. The aims of this paper are to present a detailed analysis of the state of the art available technologies, to make an analysis of and comparison among different solutions to common problems, to synthesize and identify future connectability research, and to lay the foundation for future European space robotic connectability effort and work for a complex and growing important future space missions. All types are described in their base characteristics and evaluated for orbital and planetary environments. This analysis shows that despite the large number of connectors developed for each of the four functionalities (mechanical, thermal, data, and electrical power) here considered, the trend is that researchers are integrating more than one functionalizes into a single equipment or device, to reduce costs and improve standardization. The outcomes of this literature review have contributed toward the design of a future multifunctional, standard and scalable interface at the early stage of the Standard Interface for Robotic Manipulation of Payloads in Future Space Missions (SIROM) project, a European Commission funded Horizon 2020 project. SIROM interfaces will be employed by European prime contractors in future extra-terrestrial missions.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frobt.2018.00064/fullmultifunctional interfacerobotic space interfacetransfer classification in spacemodularityspace robotics
spellingShingle Xiu-Tian Yan
Wiebke Brinkmann
Roberto Palazzetti
Craig Melville
Youhua Li
Sebastian Bartsch
Frank Kirchner
Integrated Mechanical, Thermal, Data, and Power Transfer Interfaces for Future Space Robotics
Frontiers in Robotics and AI
multifunctional interface
robotic space interface
transfer classification in space
modularity
space robotics
title Integrated Mechanical, Thermal, Data, and Power Transfer Interfaces for Future Space Robotics
title_full Integrated Mechanical, Thermal, Data, and Power Transfer Interfaces for Future Space Robotics
title_fullStr Integrated Mechanical, Thermal, Data, and Power Transfer Interfaces for Future Space Robotics
title_full_unstemmed Integrated Mechanical, Thermal, Data, and Power Transfer Interfaces for Future Space Robotics
title_short Integrated Mechanical, Thermal, Data, and Power Transfer Interfaces for Future Space Robotics
title_sort integrated mechanical thermal data and power transfer interfaces for future space robotics
topic multifunctional interface
robotic space interface
transfer classification in space
modularity
space robotics
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/frobt.2018.00064/full
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