OPERATIONS PROCEDURE PLANNING TOOLS FOR SPACE STATION ROBOTICS TASK-ANALYSIS

Task analysis for Space Station Freedom robots requires a significant amount of manipulator path design and resource planning, both for initial design optimization and during real mission planning. This paper presents current and planned integration of kinematic simulations, work station mock-ups, automated procedure planning tools and a knowledge-based expert system used by the Operations group of Spar Aerospace, to support the Canadian Space Station Program. It discusses how these tools are integrated and how they are used to do robotic task analysis and procedure development. A new technique of driving near-real-time kinematic simulations with an expert system output is introduced. The Canadian Mobile Servicing System (MSS) on Space Station Freedom uses two manipulators, the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM). Both are operated from a base structure which is mounted on the U.S. supplies Mobile Transporter (MT). Task analysis dealing with SSRMS and SPDM are discussed in reference to SSF maintenance operations. The example discussed in this paper is: SPDM replaces four of the On-orbit Replaceable Units (ORUs) in the Integrated Electronics Assembly (IEA). The IEA ORU changeout is particularly challenging because the IEA is a solar power management module located inside the truss structure, outboard of the solar array alpha joints. This MSS Design Reference Mission (DRM) procedure is described.