CHAPTER 15 SYSTEMS: ROBOTICS—THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION 258 Mobile Servicing System Operations Operations of the robotic systems are unique in a number of aspects and, much like the ISS, have evolved over the years. On the Space Shuttle, the Canadarm was controlled by the astronauts, which was the initial plan for the MSS. Today, the ISS systems can be operated by either the astronauts or the flight control team based in Houston or Montreal. Where possible, it is preferable to perform operations from the ground to free up the astronauts to focus on scientific research. Crew Operations and the Robotic Work Station The crew interface to the robotic systems is the Robotics Work Station (RWS).The ISS includes two identical RWSs (Figures 1 and 12). One is located in the Laboratory Module and the second is located the Cupola. Their key components include a control panel, two hand controllers for control of the arm, and three video displays to provide camera views to the astronaut operator. The control panel controls key functions such as how fast the arm can move and which of the many external cameras are visible on one of the three monitors. Figure 12. (Left) Expedition 18 Commander Michael Fincke (left) and STS-126/ISS ULF-2 Mission Specialist Donald Pettit (right) work the controls at the RWS in the US Laboratory on November 17, 2008. The three monitors in the middle can be used to view any external camera on the ISS. Additional computers are used to display a graphical representation of the arm or video from other sources (e.g., from the shuttle payload bay). The laptop that Don Pettit is using displays the timeline and procedures. Today, the Laboratory RWS is only used as a backup for the one in the Cupola. (Right) Expedition 36 Flight Engineer Karen Nyberg prepares to capture the “Kounotori” H-II Transfer Vehicle-4 on August 9, 2013. Her hands are on the two-hand controllers and the three video monitors are at her eye level with a laptop in the center showing the joint angles of the robotic arm. The tip of a solar array is visible in the window on the right while the robotic arm is seen in the window on the left. Two hand controllers are located on each work station. These allow crew members to control arm motion and perform capture-and-release operations. A crew member who maneuvers the arm via the RWS hand controllers is said to be “flying the arm.” The monitors are used to provide situational awareness cues to crew members while they are operating the system. Several cameras on the ISS structure and several cameras on the robotic system can be displayed. When grappling a free-flying spacecraft, for example, the crew members will display the camera that is mounted on the tip of the arm, which allows them to see visual cues about the alignment of the end effector relative to the grapple pin. If the robotic system is being used to maneuver a spacewalker, a camera on the ISS structure might be used to monitor how close his or her boot plate is to the station structure. Ground Operations and the Flight Control Team Unlike robotic arms that move fast and easily, such as those in science fiction movies, the motion of the space station systems requires long and careful planning by the Robotics Officer (ROBO) team. If the operation is something that can be performed methodically, such as replacing a piece of hardware on the exterior of the ISS, and which can be planned well in advance, the flight control team will perform the operations otherwise, the crew may perform the task. For more dynamic operations—