Simulation and Design Environment for In-Space Assembly Metrology

The goal of this IRAD project is to develop an effective tool for verifying and validating metrology system concepts integrated with iSA mission architectures through a simulation testing environment. Using metrology system error feedback for guiding assembly agents is a key capability needed for any iSA mission to ensure the structure meets measurement specifications. Several metrology instruments may be used simultaneously during various complex assembly processes to achieve the desired structural accuracy, and then may remain active to continue monitoring the structure during mission operation and repair. The challenge with choosing an iSA metrology system is not just about purchasing an existing piece of hardware, but making sure that it is properly suited for a specific iSA mission based on the other components it will be interacting with. This tool will help researchers verify and validate whether these metrology system technologies will work in various iSA mission architectures and understand how to improve on their designs or application during mission operations. Accounting for accuracy measurements taken by metrology systems will play a critical role in the assembly of large modular space structures, as this feedback will provide the guidance needed to ensure the proper alignment of the entire structure. A simulation environment is needed to test different metrology system concepts interacting with assembly agents and structural components to allow in-space assembly (iSA) researchers to identify operational sequence flaws and technology gaps in iSA processes, ultimately saving on mission development costs. Experienced Langley iSA and metrology researchers have teamed with vehicle simulation engineers to develop this simulated on-orbit design environment using the high-fidelity dynamic vehicle simulation framework – the Langley Standard Real-time Simulation in C++ (LaSRS++). Autonomous and teleoperation assembly sequences using metrology feedback may be integrated into the design environment during future development phases of this project. Large-scale iSA missions may be executed over the course of several phases, each of which with their own local and global guidance and accuracy requirements. As of today, there are number of metrology technologies being developed, such as the Modulation Sideband Technology for Absolute Ranging (MSTAR) and various commercially available LiDAR instruments by Neptec Technologies Corp; however, a method is still needed to determine how these technologies can be tailored to suit an iSA mission architecture. Current iSA missions under development require high accuracy throughout the assembly process. Having the capability to design and develop metrology systems meeting local and global accuracy requirements is critical for large-scale iSA missions. To remedy this issue, a simulation environment and associated framework must be developed specifically for iSA mission architects to rapidly design, simulate, and evaluate their metrology approaches, providing a “sand box” for engineers to implement their designs virtually before costly hardware prototyping. Existing or theoretical hardware can be modelled accurately and simulated in various operational scenarios. During this first year of development, several simple metrology schemes will be selected for analysis, and the metrology system, assembly agents, and structural components will be modelled in the simulation environment for testing. The accuracy of the simulation will improve once the iSA metrology system can be compared against data from operating the prototypes. The comparison of the results will lead to an improved simulation environment for other iSA metrology system concepts in the future. Risks with utilizing the simulation early in its development are associated with verifying and validating its accuracy compared to in-space prototype performance. These risks will be mitigated by comparing against ground testing of the hardware prototypes. Once completed, this simulation environment for testing iSA metrology systems will benefit all researchers looking to identify operational gaps in their desired iSA architectures. Additional features such as dynamic modelling for complex modules and autonomous multi-agent operations can implemented in the future as the fidelity of the simulation increases. This project will set the path toward achieving a comprehensive set of simulation tools for iSA research and missions to flight.

The Metrology System Simulation Environment (MeSSE) is a revolutionary simulation tool that will enable accurate modeling for iSA operations, allowing researchers to rapidly test a trade-space of iSA con-ops with robotic iSA agents, metrology systems, and structural assembly components in a simulated in-space environment, significantly reducing science mission development and launch costs

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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