Robotic Workcell for Waste Handling
During the sorting and repackaging of recovered waste, robotic systems for grasping and manipulating odd-shaped objects of varying sizes will be needed. Also, during the removal of buried...
A New Robotic System Concept for Automating Highway Maintenance Operations
The purpose of this paper is to present the Tethered Mobile Robot (TMR) concept, a new robotic system for automating highway maintenance operations. The operational requirements of this...
Demands and Satisfiers for Automation and Robotics in Construction: Differences Between Japan and the United States
The construction industries in Japan and the United States face problems of productivity, quality, safety, and skilled labor shortages. Automation and robotics are often proposed as solutions...
Robotic Options for Mining of Near-Earth Objects
The mining and processing of a Near-Earth Object (NEO) should be as simple and as robust as possible - the fewer processes and parts the better. Reliability and survivability of the total...
Bubba, A Teleoperated Countermine Vehicle
A recent countermine test program required the development of Bubba, a 5 ton, 6 wheel drive, M-923 military truck converted to teleoperation. The Mine Detection by Energetic Photons (MIDEP)...
A Conceptual Study of A Solar Power Satellite Using Centrifugal Force
We studied the self deployable Solar Power Satellite (SPS) using centrifugal force in order to explore ways in reducing construction costs. We designed a 340 kW SPS, and studied the unfolding...
Reliability of Structures for the Moon
The subject of risk and reliability for lunar structures is introduced and critical issues deliberated. A tensile structure is considered as an example in order to become more specific...
Global Environmental Change: Geoengineering Technology
The `overview effect,' looking at the entire Planet Earth from space, has communicated the reality of the limited extent of our environment and its apparent fragility. Space continues...
Update of the Implications of Recent Space Resource Discovery
Immense resources have been discovered in the space near Earth during the last decade. Last August, 1992, one of the resource objects was discovered to contain a key ingredient that might...
Resource Recovery Facilities for Earth Approaching Comets
Mankind's next large resource location may be off the planet. The facilities required for mining and material processing offer interesting concepts for the development of mankind's first...
Potential demand for passenger travel to orbit
In recent years the possibility of `space tourism', that is individual passenger travel to space on a commercial basis, has received increasing attention. The possibility of such an activity...
A Practical Application of Concession Schemes to Space Energy Projects
It has been shown in previous papers and studies that some of the financing schemes involving a mix of private and government funds, which are used for terrestrial large infrastructures,...
Inter-stellar Propulsion: The Need for Speed
Interstellar travel is certainly one of mankind's next step to reach for the stars. Four ideas for interstellar propulsion are discussed in this paper: the Orion Project, Deep Space Ramjets,...
Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling on a Future Lunar Base
The paper addresses the waste management problems on Earth as they relate to a future lunar base and suggests measures to prevent these problems from occurring in the base. Offensive action...
Space Policy: Key Points of International Law
Prospects of exploring space and establishing settlements in outer space have become a worldwide challenge. Space Law and Space Policy must be established on the international as well...
Biosphere II - Its Effects on Space Colonization
In the middle of the Arizona desert, a strange sight can be seen. A small world with ecosystems and different climate zones, just like Earth, is enclosed in glass and steel. The 3.15 acre...
Space Stations Past, Present, and Future
The paper discusses the evolution, present state and future of space stations. Man's interest in the stars led to many inventions and the ultimate launching of the Russian satellite Sputnik,...
Engineering Implications of Levitating Lunar Dust
In this paper an attempt is made to provide a physical understanding of these various phenomena and their long-term effects on the lunar environment. This understanding is then applied...
A Minimum Mars Mission Approach
The purpose of this paper is to identify the mission architecture required to perform a human exploration mission to Mars using a minimum amount of resources. This mission will send three...
A Space Suit for Productive and Safe Extravehicular Activity (EVA)
An innovative space suit called the Command/Control Pressure Suit (CCPS) is described in terms of productivity and safety. Conceived as a cockpit for Extravehicular Activity (EVA), the...
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