SPACE REPAIRMAN

Technology Review ^ | May 2003 | By Gregory T. Huang

[TheOtherOne]

Although the events that doomed the space shuttle Columbia may never be fully understood, investigators have focused on damage to thermal tiles inaccessible to the astronauts. In the future, says Robert Ambrose at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, crews on the International Space Station or a shuttle might include a robotic repairman. NASA's "Robonaut" is getting close to realizing that vision. With its human-size palm, four fingers, and an opposable thumb, Robonaut is "phenomenally dexterous," says Alan Peters, a researcher at Vanderbilt University's Center for Intelligent Systems. "It has the best hands of any robot on the planet." This allows Robonaut to use wrenches and other hand tools.

Currently, sensors on a human operator's body translate the operator's movements into the robot's actions. The human sees what Robonaut "sees," thanks to cameras mounted in the robot's head. But mechanical engineer Marcia O'Malley at Rice University is developing a sleeve containing tactile vibrators that will enable the operator also to feel what the robot "feels." The payoff: more accurate control.

This tactile dimension might also let Robonaut learn what jobs should feel like, Ambrose says. This could help the robot become fully autonomous, a goal of research collaborators at the University of Southern California. Robonaut could be headed for space in three years. Gregory T. Huang is a staff writer at Technology Review.

[TheOtherOne]

I must admit, I have a stack a magazines that I re-read occasionally. Anyway, today, I happened across an article (from May 2003) about in space repairs of thermal tiles.

I found it ironic that, in this article, they call the tiles inaccessable. Expecially since we will be doing a space walk to have an astronaut fix those 'inacessable' tiles in the next 24 hours.

Good luck and godspeed!

[Capn TrVth]

Anyone not watching the EVA ought to be, -live on NASA T.V.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

Spacewalk preps well underway.

[SteveMcKing]

Be glad that Dan Goldin made sure his staff used the proper letterhead to write memos. He was known to yell like a jerk and a lunatic over it. Today, we can all see how his speeches and pencil-pushing really paid off.

Faster, cheaper, deader. Thanks, Dan.

Good luck at BU, I'm sure that a medical school will gain from your management.

[TheOtherOne]

Be glad that Dan Goldin made sure his staff used the proper letterhead to write memos. He was known to yell like a jerk and a lunatic over it. Today, we can all see how his speeches and pencil-pushing really paid off.

I once had a boss I saw yell at an employee for printing in color a 10 page analysis report. He yelled at her for wasting 10 cents of ink, refusing to read the report as printed. Dumbass.

[birbear]

I can relate... I had a boss who made me restaple a report three times because in his eyes the staple was crooked.

[TheOtherOne]

I can relate... I had a boss who made me restaple a report three times because in his eyes the staple was crooked.

Sounds like Mr. Hale, my science teacher. He said he would take a razor and cut anything that wasn't put in the 8.5" x 11" box. If you paper got cut, he would only grade what he was left. You made sure you placed your homework damn straight!

[tahoeblue]

With damage to the tiles a growing concern - at takeoff due to stuff shaking lose and during orbit due to space debris - it makes you wonder whether some type of protective coating might make sense. A coating/sheathing that could protect the sensitive areas during take off and orbit, that could be removed, rolled up and stored in the then empty cargo bay for re-entry seems like an interesting idea. No real extreme thermal stress during take off, so the material doesn't have to be too exotic - just light, think enough to provide the cushion, and flexible enough to take off and stow.

> Good luck and godspeed!

My wishes exactly

[Nick Danger]

[cabojoe]

Robonaut