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JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
Supporting Activities
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) supports the space
station program in three areas: program requirements and
assessment, automation and robotics, and attached payloads.
JPL took on a major role for NASA's space station project by
establishing the project facilities in Reston, Va. and by
leading the Program Requirements and assessment (PR&A)
effort as a member of space station Level II management.
The PR&A participates in program management, including
leadership of the Program Plan effort, responsibility for
the Program Requirements Document, and support for
generating and revising the Program Approval Document.
Other tasks include developing a cost-management process and
conducting analyses and assessments.
NASA's interest in automation and robotics for the space
station is represented by three main components: the Flight
Telerobotic Servicer (FTS) for the baseline station, the
evolution of the FTS, and the Office of Aeronautics and
Space Technology (OAST) R&D program.
JPL supports the the R&D effort.
The OAST Telerobotics R&D program has two major thrusts: a
core technology research element, and a telerobotic
technology testbed research and development effort. The
core program is focused in five areas. They are:
?#Sensing and Perception: Including machine vision hardware
and software; "feel" sensing by force, torque, grasp and
tactile sensing.
?#Task Planning and Reasoning: The application of
artificial intelligence to robotic tasks.
?#Operator Interface: Design and analysis of controls and
displays command.
?#Control Execution: Research and development of hardware
and control software to execute manipulation with robotic
arms and end-effectors.
?#System Architecture and Integration: Hardware and
software technologies for integrating telerobotic systems.
The telerobotic testbed integrates and demonstrates the
ability of these "core" telerobotic technologies to perform
space assembly and servicing tasks when integrated into a
telerobotic system. A series of demonstrations is scheduled
to be implemented on this testbed through the year 2000.
Several "core" technologies will be integrated to perform
autonomous satellite servicing tasks, directed by machine
vision and force sensing, and using 6-degree-of-freedom,
dual arm manipulation. Teleoperator control technology will
be then integrated with this autonomous system to create a
telerobotic system, capable of trading control between
teleoperated and autonomous modes, for demonstrating a
variety of space assembly and servicing tasks.
As a next step the testbed plans to add two 7-
degree-of-freedom, flight qualifiable, manipulator arms
being developed by the NASA Langley Research Center and the
Oak Ridge National Laboratories. End-effectors, developed
by JPL, capable of sensing grasp force, will also be added
to the demonstration, as will the software and control
hardware adaptations to control them.
Future OAST demonstrations will consider the incorporation
of mobility, laser sensing, and artificial
intelligence-based planning. Later demonstrations are
planned to include the ability to recognize and acquire
unlabeled objects from a cluttered background, autonomous
navigation, and the use of multiple cooperating robots. The
testbed will be a national test facility and will support
NASA Centers, private industry and universities.
The OSS and OAST have developed and are implementing a plan
for the exploitation of the Telerobotic Program results.
The plan includes the transfer of the technology from JPL to
the design and construction of the FTS under the cognizance
of the Goddard Space Flight Center. Thus, the FTS project,
which is intended to aid in the assembly and maintenance of
the station and to be used in servicing space station
attached payloads and visiting spacecraft, will be in a
position to take advantage of the most advanced technology
available.
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
Supporting Activities
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) supports the space
station program in three areas: program requirements and
assessment, automation and robotics, and attached payloads.
JPL took on a major role for NASA's space station project by
establishing the project facilities in Reston, Va. and by
leading the Program Requirements and assessment (PR&A)
effort as a member of space station Level II management.
The PR&A participates in program management, including
leadership of the Program Plan effort, responsibility for
the Program Requirements Document, and support for
generating and revising the Program Approval Document.
Other tasks include developing a cost-management process and
conducting analyses and assessments.
NASA's interest in automation and robotics for the space
station is represented by three main components: the Flight
Telerobotic Servicer (FTS) for the baseline station, the
evolution of the FTS, and the Office of Aeronautics and
Space Technology (OAST) R&D program.
JPL supports the the R&D effort.
The OAST Telerobotics R&D program has two major thrusts: a
core technology research element, and a telerobotic
technology testbed research and development effort. The
core program is focused in five areas. They are:
?#Sensing and Perception: Including machine vision hardware
and software; "feel" sensing by force, torque, grasp and
tactile sensing.
?#Task Planning and Reasoning: The application of
artificial intelligence to robotic tasks.
?#Operator Interface: Design and analysis of controls and
displays command.
?#Control Execution: Research and development of hardware
and control software to execute manipulation with robotic
arms and end-effectors.
?#System Architecture and Integration: Hardware and
software technologies for integrating telerobotic systems.
The telerobotic testbed integrates and demonstrates the
ability of these "core" telerobotic technologies to perform
space assembly and servicing tasks when integrated into a
telerobotic system. A series of demonstrations is scheduled
to be implemented on this testbed through the year 2000.
Several "core" technologies will be integrated to perform
autonomous satellite servicing tasks, directed by machine
vision and force sensing, and using 6-degree-of-freedom,
dual arm manipulation. Teleoperator control technology will
be then integrated with this autonomous system to create a
telerobotic system, capable of trading control between
teleoperated and autonomous modes, for demonstrating a
variety of space assembly and servicing tasks.
As a next step the testbed plans to add two 7-
degree-of-freedom, flight qualifiable, manipulator arms
being developed by the NASA Langley Research Center and the
Oak Ridge National Laboratories. End-effectors, developed
by JPL, capable of sensing grasp force, will also be added
to the demonstration, as will the software and control
hardware adaptations to control them.
Future OAST demonstrations will consider the incorporation
of mobility, laser sensing, and artificial
intelligence-based planning. Later demonstrations are
planned to include the ability to recognize and acquire
unlabeled objects from a cluttered background, autonomous
navigation, and the use of multiple cooperating robots. The
testbed will be a national test facility and will support
NASA Centers, private industry and universities.
The OSS and OAST have developed and are implementing a plan
for the exploitation of the Telerobotic Program results.
The plan includes the transfer of the technology from JPL to
the design and construction of the FTS under the cognizance
of the Goddard Space Flight Center. Thus, the FTS project,
which is intended to aid in the assembly and maintenance of
the station and to be used in servicing space station
attached payloads and visiting spacecraft, will be in a
position to take advantage of the most advanced technology
available.
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
Space Station Freedom Organization
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) carries out a range of
support activities for on NASA's Space Station Freedom
program.
The Space Station Support Office (SSSO) is part of the JPL
Director's office. SSSO's responsibilities include
providing detailees to the Office of the Space Station (OSS)
to carry out temporary assignments and to provide a limited
amount of policy study support to Level I. The SSSO's major
responsibility is to manage and staff the Level II Program
Requirements and Assessment Office (PR&A).
JPL's space station payload definition and development
activities are centered in the Office of Space Science and
Instruments. This currently involves the execution of
studies of possible evolution-era payloads and missions in
support of Level I, as well as the Office of Space Science
and Applications (OSSA) supported definition and
development.
The Office of Technology and Applications also supports
Level I with studies of possible evolution paths for
telerobotics technology. This office is also responsible
for leading the NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space
Technology (OAST) Telerobotics Technology Program.
The Flight Projects Office is the focal point for Earth
Observation System (EOS) mission and system level activities
in support of OSSA's EOS Program, which is to be the
ultimate user of the U.S. Polar Platform. Approximately 100
to 150 professionals are involved in space station
activities at JPL.