Exciting stuff. I would think a flight test/ tech demonstrator in the near term could be made feasible and practical if it incorporated the dextre manipulator and its two 7 dof arms already in orbit. In my opinion the global metrology system is going to be the hardest part to get right, but if the whole flight test package was put on an external pallet, the metrology measurement head could remain on the pallet at some ~10m remove from the work site where dextre would use the remainder of the tools to test out all the important bits, as measured and guided by feedback from the metrology head.
I agree that the metrology system will be tough, as well as consistently positioning a free-floating (or attached to a swaying truss) 3D print head to lay down the material at the precise location needed. But a great idea, especially for big NASA-sized projects. Observatory, and perhaps even habitat, frameworks. And I agree, too, that this seems like a fantastic concept to send to the ISS for prototyping and further development work. Space-based construction research is EXACTLY where a space station is useful.
Nice concept. It could work, but this is very advanced robotics.
Quote from: grondilu on 10/09/2013 10:16 amNice concept. It could work, but this is very advanced robotics.Well it is the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts This is exactly the sort of high risk/high payoff research that NASA should fund this way.But you're right. I think we take gravity so much for granted it's (almost) impossible to realize how much harder some things get without it. Getting it to work will not be easy but what a payoff. The upside is huge
Yes. But I would argue we also take gravity so much for granted that it is almost impossible to realize how much easier certain things could become without it. The trouble is we have tons of experience with gravity, and next to none without it.
FISO teleconference. Trusselator maybe ready for space demo in 2016. Last slide has some interesting near term applications. I can imagine loading a espa ring up with these cubesats and creating a spoked wheel ( minus rim) with 100m radius. http://spirit.as.utexas.edu/%7Efiso/telecon/Hoyt_3-4-15/
I tried to find a reference for this, but Google has fallen out with me and is no longer my freind I'm sure I read about an automatic structural beam extruder that was going to be used for solar power sats. IIRC they flew a test on the Shuttle at one point back in the 90's. I can't find any reference for it though.
I, for one, welcome our new arachnoid overloads.