Autonomous Orbital Space Debris Removal Robot
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Engineering Physics
Institution
Murray State University
KY House District #
5
KY Senate District #
1
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Aleck W. Leedy
Department
Institute of Engineering
Abstract
Autonomous robots will play a crucial role in the success of future NASA missions due to the fact that the robots sent on these missions are out of contact with mission control for long periods of time. The SoutheastCon 2019 Hardware Competition had a space theme. The objective of the competition was to clear orbital space debris, avoid a collision with Spacetels (Space Hotels), and return to home base within the time limit of three minutes. The score was determined by a number of factors including: the number of complete playing field orbits, the number and type of space debris cleared, sorting cleared debris, returning to the assigned corner square (home base), and avoiding a collision with a Spacetel. The 2019 IEEE SoutheastCon Hardware Competition aligned well with NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD).
The mission of each competing team was to design an autonomous robot that would complete all of the required tasks. Murray State University’s IEEE Hardware (Robot) Team designed and built an autonomous robot that competed in the IEEE SoutheastCon 2019 Student Hardware Competition April 11 – April 14, 2019 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL. The autonomous robot project required team members with a background / expertise in the following areas: electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and computer programming. The team members also needed to have knowledge of circuit analysis, sensors, circuit building, model simulation software packages, and troubleshooting.
The IEEE SoutheastCon 2019 Hardware Competition provided an opportunity for the enhancement of hands-on experience of undergraduate engineering physics students in state-of-the-art technologies within the areas of electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. The student hardware contest also provided students opportunities to improve their troubleshooting skills, and to use various computer software packages.
Autonomous Orbital Space Debris Removal Robot
Autonomous robots will play a crucial role in the success of future NASA missions due to the fact that the robots sent on these missions are out of contact with mission control for long periods of time. The SoutheastCon 2019 Hardware Competition had a space theme. The objective of the competition was to clear orbital space debris, avoid a collision with Spacetels (Space Hotels), and return to home base within the time limit of three minutes. The score was determined by a number of factors including: the number of complete playing field orbits, the number and type of space debris cleared, sorting cleared debris, returning to the assigned corner square (home base), and avoiding a collision with a Spacetel. The 2019 IEEE SoutheastCon Hardware Competition aligned well with NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD).
The mission of each competing team was to design an autonomous robot that would complete all of the required tasks. Murray State University’s IEEE Hardware (Robot) Team designed and built an autonomous robot that competed in the IEEE SoutheastCon 2019 Student Hardware Competition April 11 – April 14, 2019 at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL. The autonomous robot project required team members with a background / expertise in the following areas: electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and computer programming. The team members also needed to have knowledge of circuit analysis, sensors, circuit building, model simulation software packages, and troubleshooting.
The IEEE SoutheastCon 2019 Hardware Competition provided an opportunity for the enhancement of hands-on experience of undergraduate engineering physics students in state-of-the-art technologies within the areas of electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. The student hardware contest also provided students opportunities to improve their troubleshooting skills, and to use various computer software packages.