Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
20150625_introduction to robotic
What Is Robotics?
Dextre is attached to the end of the International Space Station's robotic arm.
Image Credit:
NASA
Robotics is the study of robots. Robots are machines that can be used to do jobs. Some robots can do work by themselves. Other robots must always have a person telling them what to do.
How Does NASA Use Robots?
NASA uses robots in many different ways. Robotic arms on spacecraft can move large objects in space. Robotic spacecraft can visit other worlds. Robotic airplanes can fly without a pilot aboard. NASA is studying new types of robots. These will work with people and help them.
What Are Robotic Arms?
NASA uses robotic arms to move large objects in space. The "Canadarm" robotic arm is on the space shuttle. The International Space Station has the larger Canadarm2. The space shuttle uses its arm for many jobs. The Canadarm can release or recover satellites. Astronauts have used it to grab the Hubble Space Telescope. This let them fix the Hubble. The shuttle and space station arms work together to help build the station. The robotic arms have added new parts to the space station. The arms also can move astronauts around on spacewalks. The space station's arm can move to different parts of the station. It moves along the outside of the station like an inchworm, attached at one end at a time. It has a robotic "hand" named Dextre that can do smaller jobs. An astronaut or someone in Mission Control must control these robotic arms. The astronaut uses controllers like joysticks used to play video games.
How Does NASA Use Robots?
NASA uses robots in many different ways. Robotic arms on spacecraft can move large objects in space. Robotic spacecraft can visit other worlds. Robotic airplanes can fly without a pilot aboard. NASA is studying new types of robots. These will work with people and help them.
What Are Robotic Arms?
NASA uses robotic arms to move large objects in space. The "Canadarm" robotic arm is on the space shuttle. The International Space Station has the larger Canadarm2. The space shuttle uses its arm for many jobs. The Canadarm can release or recover satellites. Astronauts have used it to grab the Hubble Space Telescope. This let them fix the Hubble. The shuttle and space station arms work together to help build the station. The robotic arms have added new parts to the space station. The arms also can move astronauts around on spacewalks. The space station's arm can move to different parts of the station. It moves along the outside of the station like an inchworm, attached at one end at a time. It has a robotic "hand" named Dextre that can do smaller jobs. An astronaut or someone in Mission Control must control these robotic arms. The astronaut uses controllers like joysticks used to play video games.
Spirit is one of a group of robots that have explored Mars from the surface or from orbit.
How Do Robots Explore Other Worlds?
Robots help explore space. Spacecraft that explore other worlds, like the moon or Mars, are robots. These include orbiters, landers and rovers on other planets. The Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity are robots. Other robotic spacecraft fly by or orbit other worlds. These robots study planets from space. The Cassini spacecraft is this type of robot. Cassini studies Saturn and its moons and rings. The Voyager and Pioneer spacecraft are now traveling beyond our solar system. They are also robots. People use computers to send messages to the spacecraft. The robots have antennas that pick up the message commands. Then the robot does what the person has told it to do.
Robonaut could perform tasks that astronauts otherwise would have to do.
Image Credit:
NASA
How Does NASA Use Robotic Airplanes?
NASA uses many airplanes that do not carry pilots aboard. Some of these airplanes are flown by remote control. Others can fly themselves, with only simple directions. Robotic planes help in many ways. They can study dangerous places. For example, they might be used to take pictures of a volcano. They let NASA try new ideas for aircraft. These planes can fly for a long time without the need to land. They also can be smaller than a plane. They may not have room for a person to be on board.
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