Autonomous Robotic Capture

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), in partnership with West Virginia University and Yaskawa America, Inc., is conducting robotic contact dynamics evaluations in a near-zero gravity environment on an airplane. Knowledge gained during these flights is being used to mature autonomous capture algorithms and to enhance the accuracy of a simulation platform at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. This platform is used to support the development and validation of technologies required for the autonomous capture and servicing of satellites in geosynchronous and low Earth orbit, and potentially the capture/disposal of large orbital debris, among other missions. These technologies could also support the Near Earth Asteroid Robotic Precursor mission and the Near Earth Asteroid Human mission. The experiment will help answer some of the technical challenges identified in NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist’s Robotics, Tele-Robotics, and Autonomous Systems Roadmap.

Current ground simulations of onorbit autonomous robotic capture do not adequately model the small-scale 3D contact dynamics between a robot and a satellite. Some 2D and large-scale/lowbandwidth 3D simulations have been performed.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.