Intra-Vehicular Free-Flyer with Manipulation Capability

In this paper, a new space robot system, the 'Intra-Vehicular Free-Flyer System (IVFFS), is proposed. The IVFFS supports both non-contact and contact tasks during intra-vehicular activities. To achieve this goal, we introduce a prototype model called 'Space Humming Bird' that has a variably structured body to satisfy both safety and dexterity requirements. Several experiments involving a newly developed prototype model on a planar micro-gravity simulator are performed to confirm the feasibility of our concept. In the experiments, flying control and the proper procedure for wall-docking motion are introduced. Point-to-point motions, the wall-docking motion, a door-opening task and a detaching motion are performed. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden and The Robotics Society of Japan, 2010