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Robotic spacecraft

Comau and Argotec develop pioneering system for testing satellite parts

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Argotec and Comau are working together to create an innovative system aimed at testing and validating the functionality of nanosatellites.

The verification of a satellite’s hardware, software and its navigation and control algorithms is generally carried out through simulation and complex numerical analysis, but the results are often hard to interpret.

To overcome these difficulties, Argotec has developed ATENA (Advanced Testing Emulator for Nanosatellite Arm), a system which provides immediate verification and constant monitoring of satellite parameters by means of a robotic arm.

[Read more…] about Comau and Argotec develop pioneering system for testing satellite parts

NASA to send tiny robotic helicopter in search for aliens on Mars

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NASA is planning to send a tiny robotic helicopter to Mars in its ongoing search for alien life on the Red Planet. 

The Mars Helicopter, a small, autonomous rotorcraft, (see video below), will travel with the agency’s Mars 2020 rover mission, currently scheduled to launch in July 2020, to demonstrate the viability and potential of heavier-than-air vehicles on the Red Planet.

NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine apparently dropped subtle hints that aliens could finally be found for the first time. “NASA has a proud history of firsts,” he said.  [Read more…] about NASA to send tiny robotic helicopter in search for aliens on Mars

Nasa considers sending shapeshifting robots to search for aliens near Earth

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Nasa is planning to send shapeshifting robots to search for alien life on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. 

Titan is 50 per cent larger than Earth’s moon and is said to be “Earth-like” in the way it has wind, rain, volcanoes and other climactic characteristics.

However, while it looks and behaves somewhat like Earth, Titan is believed to be full of methane and ethane, which are obviously not breathable by humans.  [Read more…] about Nasa considers sending shapeshifting robots to search for aliens near Earth

Nasa astronauts carry out maintenance work on robotic arm on the International Space Station

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Nasa astronauts went on a spacewalk today to replace one of the two Latching End Effectors on the International Space Station’s robot arm, called Canadarm 2. 

The two astronauts were named as Commander Randy Bresnik and Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei, and the duration of the spacewalk was said to be 55 minutes.

The astronauts also carried out a range of additional maintenance and upgrading tasks, including the removal of the multi-layer insulation from a spare direct current switching unit, and preparing a flex hose rotary coupler for future use.  [Read more…] about Nasa astronauts carry out maintenance work on robotic arm on the International Space Station

Nasa and SSL complete preliminary design review of robot that will fix satellites

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Space Systems Loral says it successfully completed the preliminary design review for Nasa’s Restore-L mission to provide satellite servicing in low earth orbit. 

With the completion of the preliminary design review, Restore-L is proceeding on schedule to the next phase of development and its launch in 2020.

As announced last year, SSL is working with Nasa Goddard Space Flight Center’s Satellite Servicing Projects Division, to build a spacecraft that will change the nature of how infrastructure in space is managed by, for the first time in history, refueling a satellite in orbit that was not designed for servicing.  [Read more…] about Nasa and SSL complete preliminary design review of robot that will fix satellites

Honeybee Robotics acquired by Ensign-Bickford Industries

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Specialist robotic spacecraft developer will maintain its course through the galaxy, say new owners

Honeybee Robotics has been acquired by Ensign-Bickford Industries, a 181-year-old privately held corporation with headquarters in Simsbury, Connecticut. 

Honeybee builds robotic spacecraft for Nasa and has delivered systems for the past three Mars landers, and is developing a mining robot which could extract precious resources from asteroids.

Following the acquisition, Honeybee Robotics will be a stand-alone, wholly-owned subsidiary of EBI and will complement EBI’s current aerospace and defense subsidiary, Eba-d.

Honeybee will continue to operate from its current facilities in Brooklyn, New York, Longmont, Colorado, and Pasadena, California.  [Read more…] about Honeybee Robotics acquired by Ensign-Bickford Industries

Competition to mine outer space could change mining industry on Earth

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For the past eight years, Nasa has been running a competition to find the team that can develop the best robotic systems to mine the moon. 

This year’s winners were announced recently, and Nasa gave out prizes and commendations for about 10 teams.

The discoveries made those 10 teams and all the others that entered the competition may end up in the mining industry here on Earth, long before they even take off for the moon.  [Read more…] about Competition to mine outer space could change mining industry on Earth

Startup robots choose to go to the moon and mine it for minerals to sell to humans back on Earth

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A private group of startup robots is planning to go to the moon and mine it for water and minerals to sell to humans back on Earth, according to a report on TheVerge.com. 

The commercial company backing the alien space robots, Moon Express, says it’s long dreamed of seeing robots dig holes in the moon’s surface and bring up priceless treasures they can sell for a lot of money.

Moon Express is currently based at Cape Canaveral, in Florida, and occupies Launch Complexes 17 and 18 – so it’s literally within walking distance of the moon, sort of.  [Read more…] about Startup robots choose to go to the moon and mine it for minerals to sell to humans back on Earth

Chinese robotic spacecraft completes second refuelling test, as Russia launches robotic cargo ship to International Space Station

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China and Russia have both launched robotic spacecraft on cargo missions recently, according to reports in the media. 

Chinese state news agency Xinhua says the Tiangong-2 space lab and Tianzhou-1 completed a second refuelling test which “cemented technical results from the first refuelling”.

According to Space.com, the refuelling procedure requires 29 steps to complete and lasts for several days.  [Read more…] about Chinese robotic spacecraft completes second refuelling test, as Russia launches robotic cargo ship to International Space Station

Honeybee Robotics wins Nasa funding for six spacecraft projects

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nasa honeybee robotics US-COMP_base
Picture by Nasa via ParabolicArc.com

Honeybee Robotics has received four Nasa Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I awards and two Nasa Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I award to develop new spacecraft systems and enabling technologies.

The awards will allow Honeybee to analyze concepts for advanced future planetary exploration, sampling, in-situ resource utilization, and on-orbit operations.  [Read more…] about Honeybee Robotics wins Nasa funding for six spacecraft projects