Gao Yang. Space Robotics and Autonomous Systems: Technologies, advances and applications

The Institution of Engineering and Technology, 2021. — 475 p. — ISBN 978-1-83953-225-2.Space robotics and autonomous systems (Space RAS) play a critical role in the current and future development of mission-defined machines that can survive in space while performing exploration, assembly, construction, maintenance and servicing tasks. They represent a multi-disciplinary emerging field at the intersection of space engineering, terrestrial robotics, computer science and materials. The field is essential to humankind's ability to explore or operate in space; providing greater access beyond human spaceflight limitations in the harsh environment of space, and offering greater operational handling that extends astronauts' capabilities. Space RAS covers all types of robotics for the exploration of planet surfaces as well as robotics used in orbit around the Earth and the sensors needed by the platform for navigation or control. Written by a team of International experts on space RAS, this book covers advanced research, technologies and applications including: sensing and perception to provide situational awareness for space robotic agents, explorers and assistants; mobility to reach and operate at sites of scientific interest on extra-terrestrial surfaces or free space environments using locomotion; manipulations to make intentional changes in the environment or objects using locomotion such as placing, assembling, digging, trenching, drilling, sampling, grappling and berthing; high-level autonomy for system and sub-systems to provide robust and safe autonomous navigation, rendezvous and docking capabilities and to enable extended-duration operations without human interventions to improve overall performance of human and robotic missions; human-robot interaction and multi-modal interaction; system engineering to provide a framework for understanding and coordinating the complex interactions of robots and achieving the desired system requirements; verification and validation of complex adaptive systems; modelling and simulation; and safety and trust.Mobility and mechanisms
Wheeled planetary rover locomotion design, scaling, and analysis
Compliant pneumatic muscle structures and systems for extre-vehicular and intra-vehicular activities in space environments
Biologically-inspired mechanisms for space applications
Sensing, perception and GNC
Autonomous visual navigation for spacecraft on-orbit operations
Inertial parameter identification, reactionless path planning and control for orbital robotic capturing of unknown objects
Autonomous robotic grasping in orbital environment
Astronaut–robot interaction
BCI for mental workload assessment and performance evaluation in space teleoperations
Physiological adaptations in space and wearable technology for biosignal monitoring
Future of human–robot interaction in space
System engineering
Verification for space robotics
Cyber security of New Space systems