{"id":319038,"date":"2024-11-14T20:46:56","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T21:46:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=319038"},"modified":"2024-11-15T02:30:00","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T02:30:00","slug":"nrl-completes-development-of-robotics-capable-of-servicing-satellites-enabling-resilience-for-the-u-s-space-infrastructure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=319038","title":{"rendered":"NRL Completes Development of Robotics Capable of Servicing Satellites, Enabling Resilience for the U.S. Space Infrastructure"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Under DARPA funding, NRL developed the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) Integrated Robotic Payload (IRP). This transformative new space capability was delivered to DARPA\u2019s commercial partner, Northrop Grumman\u2019s SpaceLogistics, for integration with its spacecraft bus, the Mission Robotics Vehicle (MRV).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe recent completion of thermal vacuum testing marks a major milestone toward achieving the program\u2019s goal of demonstrating robotic servicing capabilities on orbit in the near future,\u201d said NRL Director of Research Dr. Bruce Danly. \u201cNRL\u2019s contributions to the robotic payload are an essential part of realizing this vision, which promises to transform satellite operations in geostationary orbit, reduce costs for satellite operators, and enable capabilities well beyond what we have today. In fact, the anticipated capabilities are potentially revolutionary for both national security and civil applications.\u201d<\/p>\n

As DARPA\u2019s robotic payload developer for the RSGS program, NRL looked to the future to design, build, integrate, and test groundbreaking satellite servicing capabilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis collaboration unlocks new servicing opportunities for both commercial and government satellites, enabling usual-close inspections, orbital adjustments, hardware upgrades, and repairs,\u201d said Bernie Kelm, NRL NCST superintendent of the Spacecraft Engineering Division. \u201cWe\u2019ve created advanced spaceflight hardware and software that will significantly enhance satellite servicing operations, including all robotic controls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Satellites in geosynchronous orbit, positioned approximately 22,000 miles above Earth, are crucial for military, government, and commercial communications, Earth-observing science, and national security services.<\/p>\n

Currently, spacecraft face significant challenges, in part because of the inability to perform in-orbit repairs or upgrades. To compensate for the lack of servicing options, satellites are often loaded with backup systems and excess fuel, leading to increased complexity, weight, and cost. Should this project prove successful, satellites can receive in-orbit upgrades based on new technology to extend their service life, Kelm added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe military regularly fixes aircraft, tanks, ships, and trucks that break. We upgrade aircraft and ships with the latest radars, computers, and engines,\u201d said Glen Henshaw, Ph.D., NRL senior scientist for Robotics and Autonomous Systems. \u201cSatellites are the only expensive equipment we buy that can\u2019t be repaired or upgraded once they are in the field, and this costs the taxpayer money. RSGS is intended to change this situation; we intend to demonstrate that we can upgrade and repair these valuable assets using robots.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) Testing Process<\/strong>
The test campaign put the robotic payload through its paces across the range of temperatures it will face while on-orbit and under vacuum conditions similar to space.\u00a0Engineers tested all aspects of the payload including avionics, cameras, and lights, and demonstrated all operations, with each of its two robotic arms including launch lock deployments, calibrations, and tool changing. The test also verified SpaceWire communications and robotic compliance and visual servo control modes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cNRL\u2019s Team RSGS has spent nearly 10 years focused on the goal of completing this first of a kind, robotic servicing payload,\u201d said William Vincent, NRL RSGS program manager. \u201cThe completion of IRP TVAC represents a huge milestone and countless hours of work from an incredible group of dedicated personnel. Like sending a child off to college for the first time, shipping the IRP to Dulles is a bittersweet experience.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

NRL worked for over two decades to mature the technology enabling the RSGS program. RSGS is designed to safely and reliably repair and upgrade valuable commercial, civil, and national security satellites, some of which cost over a billion dollars. In the near future, robotic satellite \u201cmechanics\u201d may extend the useful life of satellites by upgrading a variety of capabilities including new electronics, propulsion, and sensors capabilities. RSGS robots could demonstrate broad servicing as a precursor to building large structures in-orbit which could include the next great observatory, solar power stations, or other revolutionary new systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope that this will eventually lead to spacecraft that are more modular and easier to maintain,\u201d Henshaw said.<\/p>\n

Following its anticipated 2026 launch on the Northrop Grumman\u2019s MRV spacecraft bus, the robotic payload will undergo initial checkout and calibration with full operational servicing missions to follow.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will proudly watch RSGS as it provides resilience for the current U.S. space\u00a0infrastructure and takes the first concrete steps toward a transformed space architecture with revolutionary\u00a0capabilities,\u201d Vincent said.<\/p>\n

About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory<\/strong>
NRL has a longstanding relationship with academia and industry as a collaborator, contractor, and through technology transfer partnership mechanisms, such as commercial licensing, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements, and Educational Partnership Agreements.<\/p>\n

NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. NRL is located in Washington, D.C. with major field sites in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Key West, Florida; Monterey, California, and employs approximately 3,000 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel.<\/p>\n

For more information, contact NRL Corporate Communications at (202) 480-3746 or\u00a0nrlpao@us.navy.mil<\/a>.\u00a0 Please reference package number at top of press release.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Under DARPA funding, NRL developed the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) Integrated Robotic Payload (IRP). This transformative new space capability was delivered to DARPA\u2019s commercial partner, Northrop Grumman\u2019s SpaceLogistics, for integration with its spacecraft bus, the Mission Robotics Vehicle (MRV). \u201cThe recent completion of thermal vacuum testing marks a major milestone toward achieving the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":319040,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-319038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=319038"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319038\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":319041,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319038\/revisions\/319041"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/319040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=319038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=319038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=319038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}