In Space Infrastructure, Living in Space, Space Systems

FISO: Co-Robots and the future of space activity – Madhu Thangavelu

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The latest presentation to the Future In-Space Operations (FISO) study group is now posted in the FISO Working Group Presentations Archive. Both slides (pdf) and audio (mp3) are available for the talk,  Co-Robots and the Future of Space Activity, Madhu Thangavelu , USC – Jan.8.14

Space exploration and development is often presented as a robot versus manned binary choice but it is really robot versus manned + robot. To accomplish significant development in space, humans will need the productivity multipliers provided by robots, particularly tele-operated ones. Resource extraction and processing, construction, and other tasks in the vacuum and radiation of space, in the dust of the Moon, etc will be controlled by people nearby in safe and cozy habitats.

Thangavelu’s presentation discusses many topics related to such scenarios. He starts with the CoRobot concept, in which robots work closely with people to assist them in different ways. He then moves to the SARA (Surrogate Astronaut Robot Avatar) concept  in which a person wears an elaborate suit whose movements are mimicked by a robot out, say, on the surface of the Moon. Thangavelu  lays out a plan for developing and testing SARA systems starting with a facility on the ISS.

Here is a sampling of his many slides:

 
 WhatIsACoRobot

NSF-NRI

Co-DefenderEtc

MannedSpaceOps.


 RoboticAvatars

SARA

Astronomy, Science and Technology, Space participation

SpaceWarps citizen science boosted by BBC Two program

The BBC Two Stargazing LIVE program has been urging its viewers to participate in the project SpaceWarps, which is one of several citizen science projects sponsored by the Zooniverse organization. In SpaceWarps participants examine celestial images in search of the very rare cases where the gravitational effects of a distant galaxy can magnify the image of an even more distant galaxy directly behind it. This lensing effect was predicted by Einstein’s general theory of relativity.

The big increase in the number of participants has been a boon to the project and several candidate gravitational lenses have been found: Stargazing Live: The Results Are In –  Zooniverse

BBC Stargazing Live 2014 has been asking people to visit the Zooniverse’s Space Warps site to identify gravitational lenses: extremely rare events caused by one galaxy passing in front of another (very distant) galaxy. Tens of thousands of you have taken part and classified more than 6.5 million images.

Your classifications have already led to the discovery of more than 50 potential gravitational lenses! Amongst them are several beautiful and interesting discoveries. You can see a few of our favourite candidates above. For Stargazing Live’s third and final show we have focussed on the spectacular red arc/ring shown below, it has been nicknamed 9io9 by the team right now, because of it’s Zooniverse ID. You can see more of what our volunteers are saying about it here on Talk.

Credit: Jim Geach / VICS82

Credit: Jim Geach / VICS82

More info on SpaceWarps can be found at:

Mars, Multiple media, Space Science

Images from Mars orbiter show Curiosity rover and its tracks

Check out the amazing new images from the HiRISE) camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter showing the both the tracks of the Curiosity rover but the rover itself as well:

Mars Orbiter Images Rover and Tracks in Gale Crater

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover and its recent tracks from driving in Gale Crater appear in an image taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on Dec. 11, 2013.

Excerpts from the large HiRISE observation are at:

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17755, showing the rover, and
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17754, showing tracks across a landscape in enhanced color.

The tracks show where the rover has zigzagged around obstacles on its route toward the lower slopes of Mount Sharp, its next major destination.

Curiosity Rover Tracks, Viewed from Orbit in December 2013
Curiosity Rover Tracks, Viewed from Orbit in December 2013
Two parallel tracks left by the wheels of NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover cross rugged
ground in this portion of a Dec. 11, 2013, observation by the High Resolution Imaging
Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

The tracks show where the rover has zigzagged around obstacles on its route toward the lower slopes of Mount Sharp, its next major destination.

HiRISE first imaged the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft while it was descending on a parachute to place Curiosity on Mars 17 months ago. Since then, it has provided updated views of the rover’s traverse, as seen from orbit.

Curiosity Trekking, Viewed from Orbit in December 2013
Curiosity Trekking, Viewed from Orbit in December 2013
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover and tracks left by its driving appear in this portion of
a Dec. 11, 2013, observation by the High Resolution Imaging Science
Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

HiRISE is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson. The instrument was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter project and Mars Science Laboratory project are managed for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington, by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

For more information about HiRISE, see http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu . For more information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, visithttp://www.nasa.gov/mro . For more information about Curiosity, visit http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/ .

Space Policy

Space policy roundup – Jan.9.14 [Updated]

Today’s selection of space policy/politics related links:

Update:

Update 2: Here’s a video of some speeches at the International Space Exploration Forum including White House Science and Technology Director John Holdren , who discussed the decision by the Obama Administration to extend operation of the International Space Station (ISS) until at least 2024.

[ Update 3: The text (pdf) of Holdren’s speech.]

Education, Space Models

ISS paper model from NASA

NASA offers a paper card model plan for the International Space Station: Build the Station Simulation – NASA Educator’s Guide

Audience: Educators
Grades: 5-8

With just a few materials, building a paper model of the International Space Station (ISS) can become an excellent group, troop, or class project. This publication contains a brief overview of the ISS, its parts, the science that occurs on board, instructions, and extensions for an interdisciplinary technology experience Discover more about the Station Explore fun facts, simulate building the Station, and learn about the international partners.

Build the Station Simulation Educator’s Guide [3.61MB PDF file]

Build the Station Simulation

Find more paper spacecraft models in the HobbySpace Modeling section.

Everyone can participate in space