Robotics Component Verification on ISS ROKVISS - Preliminary Results for Telepresence

ROKVISS, Germany´s newest space robotics technology experiment, was successfully installed outside at the Russian Service Module of the International Space Station (ISS) during an extravehicular space walk at the end of January 2005. Since February 2005 a two joint manipulator is operated from ground via a direct radio link. The aim of ROKVISS is the in flight verification of highly integrated modular robotic joints as well as the demonstration of different control modes, reaching from high system autonomy to force feedback teleoperation (telepresence mode). The experiment will be operated for at least one year in free space to evaluate and qualify intelligent light weight robotics components under realistic circumstances for maintenance and repair tasks as foreseen in upcoming manned and unmanned space applications in near future. This paper focuses in the telepresence control mode, its technology and first results from the space experiment ROKVISS