CHAPTER 15 SYSTEMS: ROBOTICS—THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION 264 installed until STS-111/ISS-UF2, after the STS-110/ISS-8A mission, which required the arm to install a key component of the ISS truss. The flight control team quickly put together a plan that would not require using that particular joint. The ROBO team developed a less-direct, complex sequence of maneuvers, enabled by the number of joints and the wide range of position each possessed. Although the primary system was working fine, the plan could not use that joint since a failure could put the arm in a position from which it could not be safely moved. However, it was never envisioned that the controllers would operate the software in this way, instead trying to figure out where the arm needed to go and calculating the most efficient way to get there. The ROBO team conceptualized the new software operations and the code was updated and tested quickly by CSA contractor MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates. Procedures were updated and the crew quickly retrained on the new operational scheme, which was now referred to as Degraded Joint OPerationS (DJOPS). This entire process was performed in about 1 month and the ISS-8A mission was completed without incident. As with all situations, the flight director and flight control team spent a lot of time preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. Although the DJOPS was not used on that mission, it has become a standard capability. During STS-111/ISS-UF-2, similar contingencies were prepared for the flight’s robotics mission design, which involved the installation and deployment of the MBS, as well as spacewalk support. The SSRMS joint was successfully replaced (Figure 18) during the final spacewalk of the mission, taking place exactly 100 days after the joint failure first occurred. The new joint restored SSRMS fault tolerance, and the ISS assembly could continue on the subsequent shuttle missions with a fully functional arm. Conclusion As with the construction of any project, whether it be a pyramid or a space station, tools are very important. The ISS robotic systems were critical for the successful assembly of the station. Based on the experience of the SSRMS, the space station robotic systems are both more complex, as well as significantly more capable and flexible. Although the ISS and its construction was developed with the MSS in mind, the SSRMS and its family of support equipment has been critical in supporting the daily operation of the station, often used in ways never originally imagined. External hardware, such as Remote Power Control Modules, are now routinely replaced using the SPDM, thus allowing the astronauts to focus on more scientific research. As discussed in Chapters 17 and 18, the big arm was critical in numerous spacewalks, including spectacular contingency operations, and will continue to play a major role in the operation of the ISS. Robotic systems in science fiction movies tend to inspire awe by moving fast and operating with significant, often autonomous, intelligence. Reality is that the MSS on the ISS represents the state of the art today as it inspires awe in the robust and flexible manner that it supports an outpost on the edge of space. At the core of the system is the seamlessly blended NASA and CSA flight control team on the ground. Through discipline and competence, the ROBO team has pushed this tool to its maximum potential. Some form of robotics will be needed for humans venturing to the moon, Mars, and beyond. Operations in the harsh environment of space are best performed by robotics, leaving the human explorers safer in the relative protection of their spacecraft. The lessons learned after years of operating the space station robotic system will play a vital role in development and operations of those future robotic systems.