Born On-orbit| Let's Connect
Let's Connect
Making smart building blocks to be self assembled in space into large structures
Summary
Our project consists of using intelligence (trained algorithms (AI),AR, digital twin...) of building blocks themselves to be able to effectuate the assembly operation with a high reliability ,without any Human's intervention & even in unreachable places in the universe with a lower cost and less risks comparing with the crewed missions.
How We Addressed This Challenge
We developed a new concept to assemble large structures in space in order to facilitate the assembly and docking operations as well as to reduce the soaring costs of space missions.
the core concept consists of making smart building blocks/components equipped with reaction control systems for maneuvering during assembly procedures using already trained AI algorithms implemented in a microcontroller that will be embedded in each block of the large structure we want to construct.
in other words a large structure is composed from many modules that are able to move on the orbit , dock with each other and do the required mission once self-assembled.
In order to realize a stable physical connection with satisfactory docking performance between the structure modules, a series of critical challenges have to be properly met. Of them, guiding, positioning and connecting mechanisms are at the core of innovation.
Firstly, robot modules have to sense their environment and locate themselves with respect to the targets based on their perception & their interconnection to the the main part(the first launched part) so that they can navigate to the target position for docking and self-assembly
during autonomous self-assembly, the component locates, approaches and connects with the target object(the main part). The process of self-assembly is aided by sensory inputs and local communications. In the process, the active docking block searches for, navigates to and docks with a passive docking block (the main one or the one that is already docked).
How We Developed This Project
Our team was inspired from Autonomous Driving Assistance Systems or what we call self driving cars,we all know that the car system should take a right decision whatever the situation & nowadays there are some companies who are in their way to reach this goal so we were wondering if we could treat every component as a self driving car & after doing some researchers and getting informed about some existed in-space mechanisms it showed up that we could project this concept on large structures components too so we called them smart building blocks & when we thought about the interconnection between the structure components in space we got inspired by the industry 4.0 approaches.
to develop this project we really need time to simulate the mechanism on a 3D design software (catia, solidworks) & MATLAB/simulink for control designs ,pick & modify then train AI algorithms will be used & for that we need to have access to databases unavailable for public such as previous incidents during assembly,the exact parameters of the orbiting structures in order to train our algorithms with scenarios that are quasi real as well as the access to an efficient simulator.
How We Used Space Agency Data in This Project
For our project we need space agencies data related to RCS & vehicles design & orbits parameters,Space environnement and conditions as well as encountered risks & previous failures /accidents to design quasi real scenarios that will help in the training of our AI assembly algorithms
Project Demo
https://github.com/astro-Abir/Born-On-Orbit
https://www.canva.com/design/DAEJk-IYb28/share/preview?token=bzP80TACdcgL7JYajBoLdA&role=EDITOR&utm_content=DAEJk-IYb28&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=sharebutton
Data & Resources
ftp://ftp.asc-csa.gc.ca/users/OpenData_DonneesOuvertes/pub/AlouetteData/
- NASA Solar Radiation DATA: https://power.larc.nasa.gov/
- NASA In-Space Robotic Assembly : https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/strut-attachment-system-for-in-space-robotic-assembly-phase-ii