1972 – Extendable Stiff Arm Manipulator (ESAM) – Marshall Space Flight Center (American)

1.0 INTRODUCTION Teleoperator technology is presently being studied within NASA for on-orbit applications, including assembling of large structures, servicing and retrieval of satellites. The orbital teleoperator program is being conducted by MSFC and is designed to produce a suitable system for a series of Earth Orbital Teleoperator. The orbital teleoperator system will include small dextrous …

1971 – Space Tug (Concept) – MSFC/Boeing (American)

American space tug. Study 1971. The original Boeing Space Tug design of the early 1970's was sized to be flown either in a single shuttle mission or as a Saturn V payload. Optimum mass was found to be 20.6 metric tons regardless. The Tug could be outfitted with a variety of kits to serve in …

1970 – Space Tug (Concept) – MSFC/Boeing (American)

Re-useable Space Tug Concept Report dated 1970 Manipulator Kit only for manned space tug. The initial operational capability (IOC) date for the unmanned earth-orbit tug was Jan 1980, the manned earth-orbit tug for December 1980 (includes Manipulator Kit), and the manned lunar tug for April 1983. The Space Tug is modular in design. Space Tug …

1972-5 – Rancho Anthropomorphic Manipulator (RAM) – Rancho Los Amigos Hospital (American)

The Rancho Anthropomorphic Manipulator (RAM) was built to test manipulator arms for use aboard the Space Shuttle. Orthotic manipulator arms. A man in space is relatively helpless in many respects; to perform useful work, he has to have special tools and some kind of assisting control mechanisms. The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) has long been …

1988 – P.O.W.E.R. Arm – University of Alabama / Wyle Laboratories (American)

The Flexible Robot Arm P.O.W.E.R. Introduction The Personal Occupied Woven Envelope Robot (P.O.W.E.R.) project is a joint effort of the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and Wyle Laboratories. This work is being performed under the Innovative Research Program for NASA. POWER is a flexible robot arm. It will be used as an "extension" of …