Dual-arm robot stabilizes satellite for repairs in space

Interesting Engineering highlighted an aerospace engineering research project at the University of Cincinnati that found a simple but effective way for a repair robot to stay oriented in space.

UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Professor Ou Ma and graduate student James Talavage demonstrated in simulations how a robot could use a second weighted arm to make fine adjustments to maintain orientation while fixing a satellite.

Talavage and Ma call the system Dual-Arm Zero Momentum, which minimizes the attitude disturbance to the vehicle being repaired by maneuvering one arm while the other performs repairs. Just as a bull rider will use one arm to maintain balance, the robot uses an arm autonomously to correct any yaw, pitch or roll fluctuations caused by its interaction with the satellite.

“Physical contact is always the most difficult and critical part. Physical interactions can cause damage and make the satellite unstable,” Ma said.

They presented their simulation at the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics’ SciTech Forum conference in Orlando, Florida, this year. The research is supported with grants from the U.S. Space Force.

Featured image at top: UC aerospace engineering student James Talavage is researching autonomous robots that can make repairs to satellites in space. Photo/Connor Boyle/UC Marketing + Brand

Read the Interesting Engineering story.