ISS Astronauts Remotely Control Robot on Earth

The K10 planetary rover that the ISS astronauts controlled. Photo Credit: NASA/Dominic Hart
The K10 planetary rover that the ISS astronauts controlled. Photo Credit: NASA/Dominic Hart

NASA regularly controls its robot explorers, sent to distant parts of the Solar System, from comfortable offices here on Earth. So it might seem that allowing astronauts in low-Earth orbit to control a robot on the Earth’s surface is not exactly a step forward. But that would be an incorrect assumption. For the first time ever, astronauts in space have controlled a robot on a planetary surface. In this case, astronauts stationed on board the International Space Station controlled robots located on Earth.

Estrellina Pacis on console as science lead in the Multi-Mission Operations Center during a Surface Telerobotics Operational Readiness Test at NASA's Ames Research Center. Image Credit: NASA/Dominic Hart posted on AmericaSpace
Estrellina Pacis operates the console in her role as science lead in the Multi-Mission Operations Center during a Surface Telerobotics Operational Readiness Test at NASA’s Ames Research Center. Photo Credit: NASA / Dominic Hart

The Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA’s Ames Research Center has conducted two tests of its new Surface Telerobotics exploration concept. The central idea is that astronauts in orbit of another world, or stationed on its surface, could control robotic telepresence units elsewhere on the surface that could allow the astronauts to expand their exploratory abilities beyond places where they may personally visit. These robotic units could scout out areas that might not warrant a full human presence, or areas that are too dangerous for humans to go.

“The initial test was notable for achieving a number of firsts for NASA and the field of human-robotic exploration,” said Terry Fong, Human Exploration Telerobotics project manager and director of the Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA’s Ames Research Center, which designed and manages the tests. “Specifically, this project represents the first fully-interactive remote operation of a planetary rover by an astronaut in space.”

The Ames group conducted two tests, the first on June 17 with Expedition 36 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy aboard the International Space Station. Engineer Cassidy controlled a K10 planetary rover—a four-wheel-drive, 220-pound, 4.5-feet-tall robot—around the Roverscape test area at Ames. Cassidy controlled the robot for over three hours.

The next test was conducted on July 26 with ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano. Flight Engineer Parmitano used the K10 rover to deploy a Kapton film-based radio antenna.

The July 26 test illustrates one of the proposed applications of the system. Deploying a radio telescope on the Moon’s far side would allow astronomical observations to be conducted free of the radio noise that pervades Earth and near-Earth space. The Lunar University Network for Astrophysics Research (LUNAR), based at the University of Colorado, Boulder, developed that mission concept. In this mission concept, astronauts would control the robots from the Earth-Moon L2 point.

“Whereas it is common practice in undersea exploration to use a joystick and have direct control of remote submarines, the K10 robots are more intelligent,” said Fong. “Astronauts interact with the robots at a higher level, telling them where to go, and then the robot itself independently and intelligently figures out how to safely get there.”

NASA will conduct another test of the system in August, during which astronauts and engineers will inspect the radio antenna Engineer Parmitano deployed.

 

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3 Comments

  1. Fascinating data returned by the Curiosity MSL, a breathtaking image of “our little blue dot” returned by Cassini, another image of Earth taken by the MESSENGER spacecraft, and now this exciting news of astronauts controlling a robot from the ISS in anticipation of a future mission to deploy a radio telescope on the far side of the Moon! The up side is that such events make this a great time for space enthusiasts to be alive (sure beats standing behind Galileo at his telescope asking, “Is it my turn yet”). The down side is that I’m going to have to make a concerted effort to watch my diet, cut back on the intake of Scotland’s finest, and maybe even exercise so that I can live longer to see the next exciting development in our space program. (Geez, I tried to exercise once but I got out of breath, my heart started to beat faster, and I got all sweaty so I sat down with a cold beer and some chips and felt much better). Wasn’t it Neil Armstrong who said that a man is born with a fixed number of heartbeats, so one shouldn’t use them up too soon?

  2. Christopher, thank you for the highly informative and interesting article. In your research did you learn of any plans to use the telerobotic operation system used to control the K10 Planetary Rover to control the ATHLETE Robotics System created by JPL/NASA from the ISS? The ATHLETE robot has an amazing range of functions and capabilities that make it extremely well-suited for its designed purpose of lunar exploration and construction. The prospect of several ATHLETE robots on the lunar surface, controlled from orbit, perhaps in conjunction with astronauts, is quite exciting. Also, wouldn’t it would be a robot builders dream come true to have the K10 Planetary Rover on Earth controlled by ROBONAUT II that is already functioning aboard the ISS? If a NASA robot on an orbital space station operating a NASA robot on Earth doesn’t generate interest, and perhaps inspire some young future engineer, what will?

    • It strikes me as odd, so many times, that the no-brainer, flat and un-inspiring typical so-called ‘sci-fi’ Hollywood blockbusters of today, generate more interest than the scientific reality of today!

      The cinematic sci-fi of today, for the most part, IMHO is worse than dog food. On the other hand, it’s news like these, that show that NASA can make true sci-fi a reality (and that’s a reason for someone to have a smile on his face!).

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