• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Your Membership
    • Edit Your Profile
  • Services
    • Advertising
    • Case studies
    • Design
    • Email marketing
    • Lead generation
    • Magazine
    • Press releases
    • Publishing
    • Sponsored posts
    • Webcasting
    • Webinars
    • White papers
    • Writing
  • Shop
    • My Account
    • Cart
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Terms of use
  • Events

Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

  • News
  • Features
  • Sections A-Z
    • Agriculture
    • Aircraft
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Automation
    • Autonomous vehicles
    • Business
    • Computing
    • Construction
    • Design
    • Drones
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Engineering
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Humanoids
    • Industrial robots
    • Industry
    • Infrastructure
    • Investments
    • Logistics
    • Manufacturing
    • Marine
    • Material handling
    • Materials
    • Mining
    • Promoted
    • Research
    • Robotics
    • Science
    • Sensors
    • Service robots
    • Software
    • Space
    • Technology
    • Transportation
    • Warehouse robots
    • Wearables
  • Video
  • Webinars
  • White papers
  • Press releases
  • Featured companies
    • AMD Xilinx
    • BlueBotics
    • Elite Robot
    • RGo Robotics
    • SICK Sensor Intelligence
    • Vicor Power

NASA launching ‘Robot Hotel’ to the International Space Station

December 4, 2019 by Sam Francis Leave a Comment

Sometimes robots need a place to stay in space, too. NASA is attaching a “robot hotel” to the outside of the International Space Station with the upcoming launch of the Robotic Tool Stowage (RiTS), a protective storage unit for critical robotic tools.

RiTS is set to launch on today (December 4) aboard the 19th SpaceX commercial resupply mission. Its first residents will be two Robotic External Leak Locators (RELL).

Outfitted with mass spectrometers capable of “sniffing” out the presence of gases such as ammonia, these robotic tools are used to detect leaks from the station.

Two RELL units are on board the station right now: the first RELL launched in 2015, and it proved to be such a success that a second RELL was launched as a backup earlier this year.

Mark Neuman, RiTS hardware manager, says: “For each of its stored tools, RiTS will provide heat and physical protection from radiation and micrometeroids, or tiny, high-speed objects hurtling through space.

“Its thermal system maintains ideal temperatures for the instruments, helping them stay functional.”

Having this housing unit in place will also help the space station’s robotic arm, Dextre, easily locate, grab and put back these important tools.

In space, storage is especially important. Keeping RELL inside the station takes up space that could be used for other scientific hardware and experiments.

Additionally, the process of deploying RELL takes much longer when the tool is not externally stored.

RELL is a robotic tool operated remotely by mission controllers on the ground, created to facilitate space station repairs, but requires crew schedule and airlock availability to bring RELL outside the station with the use of station’s Dextre robotic tool.

Once outside the station, RELL currently needs to wait 12 hours in space before it can be used.

This allows for RELL’s extremely sensitive gas analyzer to clear itself of water vapor and other gases from inside the station, essentially giving the instruments a clean slate.

Because of this extensive process, it could take multiple weeks or even months from the time a leak is suspected, to the time RELL is deployed, to then find out where it is coming from.

With RiTS, this entire process would only depend on Dextre’s availability, greatly expediting the search for leaks.

To keep spacecraft like the International Space Station cool, NASA uses a complicated network of ammonia pumps, reservoirs and radiators — like a much more advanced housing air conditioning system.

This vast network has thousands of feet of tubing and hundreds of joints.

However, over its lifetime, the space station has accumulated occasional small ammonia leaks at its joints, often as a result of micrometeroids.

While not a safety risk to the crew, these microscopic leaks can impact the cooling system’s efficiency, which relies on ammonia to maintain habitable temperatures for the crew and equipment on board.

Chris Craw, NASA senior systems integration lead, says: “This hardware will significantly reduce time and cost for the station crew to deploy leak detection capabilities using Dextre.

“With RiTS, we’ll have easier and faster access to RELL, which can help ensure our astronauts’ safety in space.”

After its launch, RiTS will be installed through a special spacewalk by astronauts, and it will then stay on the outside of the station.

RiTS even mounts to the robotic platform that moves Dextre up and down the external rails on station and ensures a RELL tool will always be accessible.

Human and robotic collaborations like these can be applied to more than just the space station, including potential exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond.

For example, RiTS and RELL’s capabilities could be employed to detect potential leaks occurring from future human habitats on lunar and other planetary surfaces, as well as the Lunar Gateway.

RiTS was developed by the Satellite Servicing Projects Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in partnership with NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Skype
  • WhatsApp
  • Telegram
  • Pocket

You might also like…

Filed Under: Features, Humanoids Tagged With: dextre, leaks, nasa, rell, rits, robotic, space, station, tool

Join the Robotics & Automation News community

Reader Interactions

You must log in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest articles

  • Choosing the Best Magento Ecommerce Development Company: A Guide to Success
  • How to Promote Your Homemade Food Business Online
  • 3 Best Site to Buy Instagram Followers UK (Real & Cheap)
  • Email Marketing Automation with Retainly
  • Top 10 Amazing Tips to Transport Your Car in 2023
  • Maximizing Profit on Amazon: Utilizing the Amazon FBA Calculator and Analyzing Price History
  • North America Becomes the Fastest-Growing Regional Market for New Battery Facilities in 2022
  • The Ultimate Guide to Artist Alley: Con Prep and the Magic of Acrylic and Custom Keychains
  • Choosing a Robotic Spindle for Deburring
  • The Future of Modern Application Development with .NET

Most Read

  • Snapchat Plus Planet Order 2023 Explained
    Snapchat Plus Planet Order 2023 Explained
  • Why is Money Important in Our Lives?
    Why is Money Important in Our Lives?
  • Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
    Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
  • How to Track a Phone Number on Google Maps
    How to Track a Phone Number on Google Maps
  • Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
    Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
  • Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
    Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
  • The Future of Personal Computers: What to Expect in the Next Decade
    The Future of Personal Computers: What to Expect in the Next Decade
  • Top 20 programmable logic controller manufacturers
    Top 20 programmable logic controller manufacturers
  • Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
    Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
  • ADAS: Features of advanced driver assistance systems
    ADAS: Features of advanced driver assistance systems

Overused words

ai applications automated automation automotive autonomous business companies company control customers data design development digital electric global industrial industry logistics machine manufacturing market mobile operations platform process production robot robotic robotics robots safety software solution solutions system systems technologies technology time vehicle vehicles warehouse work

Secondary Sidebar

Latest news

  • Choosing the Best Magento Ecommerce Development Company: A Guide to Success
  • How to Promote Your Homemade Food Business Online
  • 3 Best Site to Buy Instagram Followers UK (Real & Cheap)
  • Email Marketing Automation with Retainly
  • Top 10 Amazing Tips to Transport Your Car in 2023
  • Maximizing Profit on Amazon: Utilizing the Amazon FBA Calculator and Analyzing Price History
  • North America Becomes the Fastest-Growing Regional Market for New Battery Facilities in 2022
  • The Ultimate Guide to Artist Alley: Con Prep and the Magic of Acrylic and Custom Keychains
  • Choosing a Robotic Spindle for Deburring
  • The Future of Modern Application Development with .NET

Footer

We are…

Robotics and Automation News was established in May, 2015, and is now one of the most widely-read websites in its category.

Please consider supporting us by becoming a paying subscriber, or through advertising and sponsorships, or by purchasing products and services through our shop – or a combination of all of the above.

Thank you.

Independent

Archivists

December 2019
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Nov   Jan »

Complex

Old-skool

This website and its associated magazine, and weekly newsletter, are all produced by a small team of experienced journalists and media professionals.

If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to contact us at any of the email addresses on our contact page.

We’d be happy to hear from you, and will always reply as soon as possible.

Future-facing

Free, fair and legal

We support the principles of net neutrality and equal opportunities.

Member of The Internet Defense League

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT