Commanding small satellites for simulated spacecraft inspections using augmented reality

Free-flying teleoperated satellites have been proposed as a replacement for astronaut extravehicular activities (EVA), such as inspection or maintenance, to reduce astronaut risk. A major concern for this type of operation is ensuring the human operator has sufficient spatial and temporal knowledge of the free-flying spacecraft and environment to safely complete the task. This research evaluates Augmented Reality (AR) as a means of providing spatial and temporal information to an operator controlling a free-flying robot to perform an inspection task. Specifically, the research focuses on the effect of command input mode and environmental risk on performance of an EVA inspection task and the strategies adopted by the operator in completing the inspection. Subjects performed a simulated inspection task of a space station using an inspector small satellite and the Microsoft Hololens platform.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Todd, Jessica Eve.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Leia A. Stirling.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/124180

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/124180