Special Issue on Advanced Space Robotics

2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 333-333
Author(s):  
Takashi Kuboda ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Space Station ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Space Robotics ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Martian Surface ◽  
Origin And Evolution ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Future Space ◽  
Mars Pathfinder

Toward the turn of the century, several missions to explore deep space such as the moon, Mars, asteroids, and comets are being planned for scientific observation. Recently, many researchers have studied and developed lunar or planetary rovers for unmanned planet surface exploration. Microrover missions have received much attention. In July 1997, NASA/JPL succeeded in the Mars Pathfinder mission and the Sojourner rover moved over the Martian surface gathering and transmitting voluminous amounts of data back to the Earth. NASA plans to send robots to Mars in 2003 and 2005 Missions. In Japan, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) launched the Nozomi, a Mars's orbiter. ISAS plans to send Lunar-A spacecraft with penetrators to the moon and is also promoting the MUSES-C mission for asteroid sample return. ISAS and the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) are cooperatively promoting the SELENE mission, whose major objectives are to acquire scientific data on lunar origin and evolution, and to develop technology for future lunar exploration. NASDA launched the ETS-VII satellite in 1997 for rendezvous docking and orbital robotics experiments. The International Space Station (ISS) is under construction by international cooperation. We will shortly start robotics activities onboard the Japanese Experimental Module (JEM) named KIBOU for the ISS. Space robotics including Al is a key technology for planetary exploration. Space robotics is expected to support space activities, such as external vehicular activities (EVA) and internal vehicular activities (IVA) for future space utilization. Future space projects will require space robotics technology to construct, repair and maintain satellites and space structures in orbit. This special issue on advanced space robotics introduces updated mission results and advanced research activities of space organizations, institutes, and universities, although it does not include all. We hope that this special issue will be useful to readers as an introduction to advanced space robotics in Japan, and that more robotics and Al researchers and engineers will become interested in space robotics and participate in space missions. We thank those researchers who have contributed their advanced research activities to this special issue, and deeply appreciate their earnest efforts.

Special Issue on Space Robotics

1994 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 345-345
Author(s):  
Yoshiaki Ohkami ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Early Stage ◽  
Space Environment ◽  
Robot Arm ◽  
Space Robotics ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Space Robots ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Space Activities

Since the beginning of space exploration, ""space robots"" have attracted the imagination of many researchers and engineers, and a number of fascinating plans for their use have been proposed.' However, only a few of these ideas have been realized in spite of the early realization that robots would be more appropriate than extra-vehicular activities by a human crew in the hostile space environment. One application is the Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator System, called the ""Canadian Robot Arm"", which has been functioning as expected for more than 10 years. In addition, ROTEX experiments on Space Lab a few years ago demonstrated that advanced robotic technology could perform more complicated tasks on board. It is also reminded that many other robotic experiments were canceled at some stage of their development: In particular, it was hoped that NASA's Flight Telerobotic Servicer would be able to operate with the help of an Orbital Maneuvering Unit. There are complicated reasons for the project cancellations, but one reason seems to be that the maturity level of robotics technology is not high enough; that advanced teleoperation and dexterous manipulation have not reached a sufficient level for practical use. In Japan, most of the space research and development thus far has concentrated on the launching and in-flight operations of conventional spacecraft, so that there has been no real demand for space robots. Recently, however, the Space Activities Committee issued a report on the long term vision for space activities in Japan. In this report, the importance of the use of space robotics technologies for diversified space activities such as space platform servicing, unmanned exploration of Mars and the moon crew support inside the space station, telescience operations, and even for the reusable reentry vehicle HOPE was emphasized. This can be at least partially attributed to the very active research on robotics in Japan, and in turn has encouraged researchers working in these fields. This special issue on space robotics introduces the research activities as several representative organizations, although it does not imply an exhaustive list. Firstly, the activities of two space development organizations are introduced. The National Space Development Agency (NASDA) is responsible for launching and operation this as well as general technology verification. Included in this is the ETS-VII satellite, which as part of its overall mission, will conduct several robotic experiments. The robotic activities of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) are also outlined. This institution is primarily concerned with scientific missions to the Moon and Mars as well as planets further beyond. Second, the research activities at the national institutes are introduced. These institutes are responsible for supporting national projects at an early stage of development by providing fundamental data and key technologies. This is followed by an introduction to the very extensive research activities at universities across the country. At these universities, space robotics research is pursued not only in aerospace engineering departments but also in other disciplines such as mechanical engineering, control systems, electronics, and information processing. As mentioned before, there are some organizations which do not appear in this special issue. Nonetheless, the coordinator hopes that in Japan, the information given will prove to be useful as in introduction to space robotics research activities in Japan, and further wishes to express his deepest appreciation to all of the contributors.

scholarly journals Special Issue on AI, Robotics, and Automation in Space

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 791-791
Author(s):  
Takashi Kubota ◽  
Kazuya Yoshida ◽  
Shinichi Kimura ◽  
Takehisa Yairi
Keyword(s):  
Space Structures ◽  
Lunar Exploration ◽  
Space Robotics ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Key Technology ◽  
Planetary Rovers ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Planet Exploration

Many missions have been launched to explore the Moon, Mars, asteroids, and comets, and many researchers are studying and developing lunar and planetary rovers for unmanned planet exploration, and further cooperative missions targeting human lunar exploration are under discussion. A key technology in these missions and orbital services is space robotics, including Al and automation. Space robotics is expected to support external vehicular activities (EVA) and internal vehicular activities (IVA), which will include constructing, repairing, and maintaining orbiting satellites and space structures.This special issue presents the updated mission results and advanced research activities of space organizations, institutes, and universities, although it does not include all. We hope that this special issue will be useful to readers as an introduction to advanced space robotics in Japan, and that more robotics and Al researchers and engineers will become interested in space robotics and participate in space missions.We thank the authors for their fine contributions and the reviewers for their generous contributions of time and effort. In closing, we also thank the Editorial Board of the Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics for helping to make this issue possible.

The International Space Station

2019 ◽  
pp. 79-95
Author(s):  
Chris Nie
Keyword(s):  
International Space Station ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
Space Station ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Moon ◽  
New Era ◽  
International Space ◽  
Space Race ◽  
Future Space ◽  
Technical Details

A new era of spaceflight dawned following the conclusion of the United States and Russian space race. This new era has been marked by the design, assembly, and operation of one of the greatest engineering feats mankind has accomplished, the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS is comprised of hundreds of thousands of kilograms of material built on the ground and transported to space for assembly. It houses an artificial atmosphere to sustain life in outer space and has been continually inhabited for over 15 years. This chapter describes the technical complexity of the ISS, the background of how it was assembled, its major systems, details of crew life onboard, commercial usage of the resource, and examples of mishaps that have occurred during the ISS's operation. The technical details of the ISS provide a glimpse into what future space stations that might orbit the Moon and Mars will resemble.

scholarly journals Remotely distinguishing and mapping endogenic water on the Moon

2017 ◽  
Vol 375 (2094) ◽  
pp. 20150391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel L. Klima ◽  
Noah E. Petro
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Solar System ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Testing Hypotheses ◽  
Origin And Evolution ◽  
Lunar Interior ◽  
Geological Features ◽  
Insight Into

Water and/or hydroxyl detected remotely on the lunar surface originates from several sources: (i) comets and other exogenous debris; (ii) solar-wind implantation; (iii) the lunar interior. While each of these sources is interesting in its own right, distinguishing among them is critical for testing hypotheses for the origin and evolution of the Moon and our Solar System. Existing spacecraft observations are not of high enough spectral resolution to uniquely characterize the bonding energies of the hydroxyl molecules that have been detected. Nevertheless, the spatial distribution and associations of H, OH − or H 2 O with specific lunar lithologies provide some insight into the origin of lunar hydrous materials. The global distribution of OH − /H 2 O as detected using infrared spectroscopic measurements from orbit is here examined, with particular focus on regional geological features that exhibit OH − /H 2 O absorption band strengths that differ from their immediate surroundings. This article is part of the themed issue ‘The origin, history and role of water in the evolution of the inner Solar System’.

VI. The nature of the Moon’s surface - The lunar surface and the U. S. Ranger programme

1967 ◽  
Vol 296 (1446) ◽  
pp. 399-417 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
The Moon ◽  
Martian Surface ◽  
Mountain Ranges ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Time Dependencies ◽  
The Alps ◽  
Mare Serenitatis ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Characteristic Colour ◽  
Lunar Maria

The unaided eye can see roundish dark spots on the Moon set in a brighter back­ground. Telescopic observation of these dark spots, called maria (plural of mare , sea) reveals that they are nearly level terrain sparsely covered with craters. The brighter surroundings or terrae are from shadow measurements found to be higher, some 1 to 3 km above the maria. The terra elevations scatter widely, reaching several kilometres in the mountain ranges. The most prominent of these ranges occur as peripheral mountain chains around the near-circular maria. Examples are the Apennines, the Alps, the Carpathians, and the Altai Scarp. These arcuate chains surround the maria as the crater walls surround crater floors, an analogy that can be carried further and implies, apart from scale, a similar origin. This origin is almost certainly impact by massive objects. In the case of the impact maria and pre-mare craters, the source of the objects appear to have been a satellite ring around the Earth through which the Moon swept very early in its history, in its outward journey from its position of origin very near the Earth (Kuiper 1954, 1965). The post-mare craters are presumably mostly asteroidal (and partly comet­ary) in origin and related to the craters observed by Mariner IV on Mars. The estimated time dependencies of these two crater-forming processes are shown schematically in figure 1. A fuller discussion of this problem has been given else­where (Kuiper, Strom & Poole 1966; Kuiper 1966). The higher asteroidal impact rate on Mars, by a factor of about 15, as derived from the Mariner IV records, is interpreted as being due to the greater proximity to the asteroid ring. The num­erical factor approximately agrees with theory. Mars apparently lacks the equiva­lent of the initial excessively intense bombardment of the Moon (attributed to impacts by circumterrestrial bodies); unless, of course, the entire Martian surface has been molten and is directly comparable to the lunar maria. This does not seem probable but can at present not be ruled out; if true, the earliest surface history would have been erased. The nature of the mare surface has, during the past decade, been an object of much, perhaps too much, speculation. With the several recent successful lunar reconnaissance missions completed, the older interpretation of the maria as lava beds, based on telescopic observation, has been abundantly confirmed. Four options discussed in recent literature are analysed in Kuiper (1965, §§A, B, pp. 12–39). Among the most potent arguments for the lava cover of the maria are the prominent lava flows observed on Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis, each having a characteristic colour. A map of some Mare Imbrium flows is found in figure 2.

scholarly journals Overview of the Special Issue "Martian Surface Processes"

2016 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Norikazu MATSUOKA ◽  
Miwa YOKOKAWA ◽  
Hajime NARUSE ◽  
Tomohiro SEKIGUCHI
Keyword(s):  
Surface Processes ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Martian Surface

Seismology of the Moon and Implications on Internal Structure, Origin and Evolution

1971 ◽  
pp. 155-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurice Ewing ◽  
Gary Latham ◽  
Frank Press ◽  
George Sutton ◽  
James Dorman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Internal Structure ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Origin And Evolution

scholarly journals Editorial for Special Issue “Advances in Satellite Altimetry and Its Application”

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 2913
Author(s):  
Denise Dettmering ◽  
Marcello Passaro ◽  
Alexander Braun
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Satellite Altimetry ◽  
Method Development ◽  
Review Paper ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Laser Altimetry ◽  
Coastal Regions ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Earth Systems

This special issue compiles studies from different disciplines presenting recent advances in the field of radar and laser altimetry including new and future altimetry missions and their applications. It comprises eight research papers as well as one review paper, and covers method development as well as applications, which target diverse Earth systems (oceans, coastal regions, sea-ice, inland) as well as the Moon.

scholarly journals Nrf2 contributes to the weight gain of mice during space travel

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takafumi Suzuki ◽  
Akira Uruno ◽  
Akane Yumoto ◽  
Keiko Taguchi ◽  
Mikiko Suzuki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Knockout ◽  
Disease Model ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Extreme Environment ◽  
Space Research ◽  
Plasma Metabolites ◽  
Space Travel ◽  
Future Space ◽  
Nrf2 Signaling Pathway ◽  
Induced Stresses

AbstractSpace flight produces an extreme environment with unique stressors, but little is known about how our body responds to these stresses. While there are many intractable limitations for in-flight space research, some can be overcome by utilizing gene knockout-disease model mice. Here, we report how deletion of Nrf2, a master regulator of stress defense pathways, affects the health of mice transported for a stay in the International Space Station (ISS). After 31 days in the ISS, all flight mice returned safely to Earth. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed that the stresses of space travel evoked ageing-like changes of plasma metabolites and activated the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Especially, Nrf2 was found to be important for maintaining homeostasis of white adipose tissues. This study opens approaches for future space research utilizing murine gene knockout-disease models, and provides insights into mitigating space-induced stresses that limit the further exploration of space by humans.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document