Space Robotics & Simulation
Space Robotics Labs
Location: 007-019
Coordinator: Dr. Stephen Kwok-Choon
The Space Robotics Laboratory is a teaching and research space that explores space electro-mechanical systems. Floating Spacecraft Simulators simulate hardware-in-the-loop test platforms in three degrees of freedom frictionless environment (XY planar with Z rotation) using compressed nitrogen air-bearings, and cold gas thrusters.
Hardware and applied research interests include cold gas thrust vectoring, reaction wheels, computer vision experiments, autonomous closed loop command and control experiments, ground rovers, and robotic manipulators. Students develop and test simulated hardware and software space systems.
Poly Sim Laboratory
Location: 007-019
Coordinator: Dr. Eric Mehiel
The PolySim ADCS laboratory, students design, build and test systems used for spacecraft Attitude, Dynamics and Control Systems. Spacecraft attitude systems are central to understanding where a spacecraft is located and where it is pointing. Students work with hardware and software to test and simulate spacecraft rotational motion and attitude determination using star trackers and Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs). Along with hardware development, students also develop sophisticated software models of spacecraft to simulate their dynamics and compare these results to physical models and real spacecraft data.