Ground operation of space-based telerobots will enhance productivity

Due to the limited human resources which will be available on the US Space Station, automation and robotics technologies are being developed to enhance the productivity on the Space Station. The author explores the need for space telerobots which can be operated from the ground taking into consideration the resulting time delay, the technology involved, and some currently planned experiments. The proposed experiments include a remote link with the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) robotics laboratory, and the Telerobot Intelligent Interface Flight Experiment (TRIIFEX). It is concluded that there is a need to develop and implement ground-remote telerobotics technology which can effectively operate in the time-delay environment. This capability will enable servicing operations in polar and geosynchronous orbits and assist EVA (extravehicular activity) astronauts on the Space Station