On-Orbit Assembly of Flexible Space Structures with SWARM

On-orbit assembly is an enabling technology for many space applications. However, current methods of human assisted assembly are high in cost and risk to the crew, motivating a desire to automate the on-orbit assembly process using robotic technology. Construction of large space structures will likely involve the manipulation of flexible elements such as trusses or solar panels, and automation for assembly of flexible structures has significant challenges, particularly in control systems. This paper presents results of ground-based experiments on the assembly of a flexible space structures using the hardware developed under the Self-Assembling Wireless Autonomous Reconfigurable Modules (SWARM) program. Results are shown for a series of incremental tests that demonstrate control of a flexible structure, docking, and reconfiguration after docking. These results demonstrate the feasibility of the assembly of flexible structures using this methodology.