A new walking robot design could revolutionize the way we build things in space

Researchers have developed a cutting-edge walking robot that could revolutionize large construction projects in space. They tested the robot’s feasibility for mounting a 25-meter large-aperture space telescope in space. They present their findings in Frontiers in robotics and AI. A scaled-down prototype of the robot also showed promise for large-scale construction applications on Earth.

Nowhere is the maintenance and upkeep of large structures more important than in space, where conditions are extreme and human technology has short lifespans. Extraterrestrial activities (activities performed by an astronaut outside of a spacecraft), robotics, and autonomous system solutions have been useful for servicing and maintenance missions, and have helped the space community conduct pioneering research on various space missions. Advances in robotics and autonomous systems enable a variety of services in space. These include manufacturing, assembly, maintenance, astronomy, earth observation and debris removal, among others.

Given the myriad risks involved, relying solely on human builders is not enough, and current technologies are outdated.

“We must adopt sustainable, futuristic technology to support the current and growing orbital ecosystem,” stated corresponding author Manu Nair, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Lincoln. “As the scale of space missions increases, there is a need for more extensive in-orbit infrastructure. Assembly missions in space would hold one of the key roles to meet the increasing demand.”

In their work, Nair and his colleagues presented an innovative, dexterous walking robot system that can be used for in-orbit assembly missions. As a use case, researchers tested the robot for assembling a 25m Large Aperture Space Telescope (LAST).

Assembling telescopes in orbit

Since the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope and its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, the space community has continuously moved toward the deployment of newer and larger telescopes with larger apertures (the diameter of the light-gathering region).

Mounting such telescopes as a 25m LAST on Earth is not possible with our current launch vehicles due to their limited size. Therefore, larger telescopes ideally need to be assembled in space (or in orbit).

“The prospect of deploying a LAST in orbit has fueled scientific and commercial interest in space astronomy and Earth observation,” Nair said.

To mount a telescope of this magnitude in space, we need the right tools, Nair explains: “Although conventional space runner candidates are adept, they are limited in their maneuverability and mobility capabilities to provide access to a much larger workspace without the dexterity to.” affect.”

E-Walker robot

The researchers proposed a fully dexterous, end-over-end seven-degree-of-freedom walking robot (a robotic system with limbs that can move to different locations along a surface to perform seven-degree-of-motion tasks), or in short, an e-walker .

They conducted an in-depth design engineering exercise to test the robot’s ability to efficiently assemble a 25m LAST in orbit. The robot was compared to the existing Canadarm2 and European robotic arm on the International Space Station. In addition, a scaled-down prototype was developed for Earth-analog testing and another design engineering exercise was conducted.

“Our analysis shows that the proposed innovative e-walker design proves to be versatile and an ideal candidate for future in-orbit missions. The E-Walker would be able to extend the lifecycle of a mission by performing routine maintenance and service calls after assembly in space,” Nair explained.

“Analysis of the scaled-down prototype also identifies it as an ideal candidate for service, maintenance and assembly work on Earth, such as performing regular maintenance checks on wind turbines.”

But much remains to be explored. The research was limited to the engineering analysis of a full-size model of the E-Walker and a prototype. Nair stated, “E-Walker prototyping work is currently underway at the University of Lincoln; therefore experimental verification and validation are published separately.”