Space Robotics: Past, Present, & Future
Ar. Souktik B.
Space Architect | Artificial Intelligence Engineer | Urban Designer | Computational Designer
Robotics and space technology are the most happening and tech-driven sectors in today’s scenario. The early 21st-century pop culture witnessed the rise of robotics and its application in space like R2D2 (Star Wars, 1977), Wall-E (2008), Terminator (2003), etc. Robots like Legacy robots, Atlas, are some of the well-known robots that are used in fields involving challenging environments and tasks. Space robots have developed significantly in the past few decades and produced robots like robotic arms and astronaut assistants.
Image 1- Robots in Pop-culture
What are Robots?
“A robot as an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose, manipulator programmable in three or more axes, which may be either fixed in place or mobile for use in industrial automation applications.”- ISO:1873
“A reprogrammable multi-functional manipulator designed to move materials, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks.”- Robotics Institute of America (RIA)
Most of the robots that we see around are electrically simulated mechanical or hydraulic machines and can be controlled by programmable computers to achieve a particular task. Depending on the task and technology used to create the robots, all robots have some degree of automation, and decision-making capabilities.
What are Space Robots?
Space robots are a particular category of robots that are responsible to accomplish missions performed in outer space or other planetary surfaces. The space robots are designed to ease the astronaut’s tasks and perform them with higher levels of precision. It is also designed to combat the higher levels of radiation, debris, and other challenges of outer space, and thus enhances the safety of crew members.
Image- Evolution of deep-space exploration drives the need for greater flexibility (1)
Space robots can be broadly classified into autonomous exploration missions and human-assisted missions. The robots that are responsible to help human beings and work in a collaborative environment are called cobots. Space robots can also be broadly classified into robots used in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), Deep Space Explorations, and Planetary surfaces based on environments.
Robotic spacecraft, robotic arms, and robotic assistants are mainly used in space robots for LEO missions, whereas fly-by robotic probes are used for deep space explorations. Robotic landers, rovers, transfer habitats, and robotic assistants are used for space robots used on planetary surfaces.
Evolution of space robots
The idea of a robot dates back to the 4th Century BC, where Greek mathematician Archytas of Tarentum theorized a mechanical bird, he called “The Pigeon”, which was propelled by steam. The evidence of the first humanoid robot can be found in Leonardo’s notebooks in around 1495, where he explained the concept of a mechanical knight in armor who was able to sit up, wave his arms and move his head and jaw. Several humanoid robots are being developed in the early 21st century like Sophia, Manav, and Robonauts, which are artificial intelligence (AI) driven electro-mechanical systems.
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Image 2- Evolution of robots (2)
The initial forms of space robots were space crafts and satellites. The first man-made satellite was Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957. The late 20th century, with the ambition, to explore the solar system and beyond several satellites like Explorer 1 (1958), Mariner 2 & 4 (1962-1965), Viking 1 & 2 (1975), Voyagers 1 & 2 (1977), etc. Being successful with the flyby and orbiter missions, space robots took form like Hubble Space Telescope & James Webb Telescope (Orbiting telescope), Dexter & Canadarms (robotic arms or tele manipulators), and Curiosity, Opportunity, Perseverance, (autonomous rovers).
Image 3- Evolution of space robots (3)
Challenges of Space Robots
The degree of autonomy in space robots is not only the challenges that it faces in present times. The challenges can be classified into five categories which are controls, mechanics, transducers, power, and communication. Control of space robots can be further subdivided into physical and software control systems. The space environmental conditions and debris mitigation posses a major challenge to the physical control systems, and human-machine interaction in an autonomous manner is the challenge to the software control systems.
A major amount of study and developments are left for the deployability of structures in space. Transducers like sensors and actuators play a critical role in space robots. It is observed that transducers in space environments have low efficiency and high heating occurs. Most of the space robotic systems have brushless electric motors, electromagnetic and piezoelectric actuators.
All forms of autonomous robots require a constant or regular supply of electricity to continue functioning. The electricity generation in deep space missions requires In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) techniques. RTGs (Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators) are used in deep space missions as it supplies low power energy for a very long period. Miniature nuclear reactors are being developed to mitigate a large number of power requirements for deep space and planetary habitation requirements. Further development of nuclear reactors for the space environment can enable us to generate nuclear energy from the radioactive materials found on planetary surfaces like Thorium and Uranium available on the Lunar and Martian surface.
The advanced areas in which space robots are being developed are AI algorithms, sensor systems, physical systems, control & planning systems, human supervisor systems, etc. Some of the recent developments in space orbital robotics are satellite capture and servicing, space debris mitigation technology, large space structure construction systems, and structure in-orbit refueling and maintenance technology.
Future of Space Robots
Technologies like space manufacturing robots, nanobots, nanosats, replicating robots, and swarm robotics will play a huge role in enabling a better understanding of the space environment and gathering critical data to push the boundaries of space environments. Despite economic and technical challenges, we have successfully produced space robots such as MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment), and Ingenuity (Martian helicopter). This decade will be mostly responsible for the developments related to permanent human settlement in the space environment and will also witness the rise of commercial players in the space industry.
Image 4- Ingenuity (Martian helicopter) (4)
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