The space robot technology experiment ROTEX on spacelab-mission D2

Kurzfassung

Automation and robotics is going to strongly influence space technology in the near future. However, operational space robot systems are so complex, that preparatory flight experiments are absolutely necessary. The ROTEX experiment to fly with the next spacelab mission D2 in January 93 provides a small six-axis robot within a rack of spacelab. Its multisensory gripper containing stiff and compliant wrist force-torque sensors, tactile sensors, 9 laser range finders, and a pair of tiny stereo cameras is the basis of the robot's local sensor-based autonomy. We presume ROTEX to be presently the most advanced space robot project. Its control concept with local on-board autonomy and full programmability from ground is structured thus that on-board autonomyin the future may be enhanced in a fully evolutionary manner.