Scientist: Space exploration will belong to robots

According to Dr. Tomasz Barciński from the Space Research Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences, space exploration will largely belong to robots. They will perform various tasks - from simple cleaning to conducting complex experiments.

On the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts are already testing robots that can support human work. "Over time, robots can do practically everything you can imagine in terms of broadly understood assistance to astronauts," Dr. Barciński, who is the head of the Satellite Mechatronics and Robotics Laboratory at CBK PAN, told PAP.

He added that the ISS already has a spherical robot, Int-Ball, which flies and documents the work of astronauts. In addition, it is being used to test techniques for moving the robot in microgravity conditions. "We can also imagine, for example, cleaning work performed by robots - it is easy to get messy in the small space of a space station. More advanced robots will replace humans in conducting increasingly complex experiments, which can be tedious and time-consuming. These activities are perfectly suited for a robot. In time, they will also be able to replace humans in some spacewalks," described Dr. Barciński.

He pointed out that the microgravity prevailing in orbit means that robots operating on space stations will be able to have various shapes. "You can imagine, for example, a ball like Int-Ball with two, four or even eight arms or other limbs, e.g. resembling an elephant's trunk with grippers or various sensors. We will probably witness a gradual evolution in the design of such machines, against the background of which a completely new revolutionary idea will appear from time to time," explained the CBK PAN expert.

As he added, one of such revolutionary approaches is the so-called soft robotics. These are robots made of soft polymers. "A flexible, light, filigree body will easily maintain its shape in microgravity, and at the same time will be able to change it if necessary, for example, to get to hard-to-reach places," he described.

He also pointed out new challenges related to microgravity - robots will behave differently than on Earth, often contrary to everyday intuition. "However, this is not a big obstacle. The human brain learns new things easily and engineers will certainly learn this" - assured Dr. Barciński.

Moreover, as he noted, there are already excellent computer programs that allow for simulating space conditions or even the interior of the station. For example, they can test approaches that mimic the evolution of living organisms.

"The computer is fed information about what a given element should do and what conditions it should meet - for example, it should weigh little and use little energy. (...) For now, this technique is used on a daily basis to create individual components, but over time, it will probably develop to such an extent that designs for entire robots will be created in a similar way," the expert explained.

He also emphasized that one of the main limits for introducing robots into space will be safety. This is of particular importance on space stations, where there is little space and an improperly behaving robot could pose a threat to astronauts and delicate equipment. "Robots operating in space will therefore have to be particularly well designed in terms of safety. The elements of space stations with which the robots will interact will have to be designed in a special way - they will have to be to some extent resistant to machine errors," indicated Dr. Barciński.

The expert told PAP that the robots will also operate in orbit, e.g. by removing old satellites or rocket fragments. They can also be used in servicing satellites, including refueling them. "Satellites must perform various corrective maneuvers and can do so as long as they have enough fuel. An orbital +tanker+ could replenish this fuel. It would work a bit like refueling fighters in the air, although it would be even easier, because in microgravity, without the presence of air, such a refueling robot could be rigidly connected to the satellite," he explained.

Robots will also be needed in missions to the Moon or Mars - not only in habitats, but also on the surface. "On the Moon, we can imagine, for example, an army of robot miners, or devices collecting rock samples, or searching for deposits under the regolith," said Dr. Barciński. He also noted that the Moon poses special challenges.

"One of them is the regolith, which penetrates all exposed mechanisms and acts a bit like sand poured into bearings, causing their destruction. Therefore, appropriate protection methods must be developed. Another issue is the extreme temperatures. Day and night on the Moon last almost 15 days each. At night, the temperature drops to minus 150 degrees Celsius and few robots are able to survive it. In turn, during the day it is extremely hot," the interviewee described to PAP.

In his opinion, many robots will need people to control them, although increasingly autonomous machines will also be created. The CBK PAN engineer predicts that these two branches will interpenetrate and partially autonomous robots will be created. Mars and lunar rovers are already operating in this way.

This in turn could mean the creation of a new profession. "Currently, we already have a very demanding profession of satellite operator. Such people work three shifts and monitor the operation of the satellite. Perhaps in some time specialists will be trained to operate space robots," believes Dr. Barciński.

The scientist sees a huge opportunity for Polish companies and institutes in the development of space robots, including of course CBK PAN, which are already participating in various programs to build such machines. He mentioned that currently CBK PAN is conducting research on satellite manipulators – servicing and capturing satellites. Scientists are also working on excavators for lunar soil and are examining landing chassis, whose legs are controlled similarly to robot arms.

"I think we can design the main elements of space robots, such as manipulators or jumping platforms, with a great sense of confidence. As a country, we are already good at this. We are still a bit away from full maturity in space robotics. We will achieve it when we build an independent full system. (...) We need more experience for this, but we will not gain it otherwise than by taking the risk of pioneering action," concluded Dr. Barciński.

Science in Poland, Marek Matacz

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