Spacemen Get Long Reach with Remote-Control Aids By WERNHER von BRAUN PS Consulting editor, Space Sophisticated puppets called "teleoperators" can relieve our astronauts of many difficult or dangerous tasks performed in orbit When one of our coming Space Shuttles repairs a satellite in orbit, or retrieves it for return to Earth, it's likely the job …
Read More “1972 – Free Flyer with Manipulator Arms – Bell / Rancho Los Amigos (American)”
For Douglas Aircraft, in 1962, their earlier space manipulator designs, i.e., the Project Mercury converted capsule and the "Humpty Dumpty" unit, can be considered as first-generation, feasible, nonanthropomorphic devices. A much more speculative concept, but in every sense within our technological reach, is shown in figure 3 above. This is basically a space tug and …
Read More “1962 – Nonanthropomorphic Space Suit (Concept) – Douglas Aircraft Corp (American)”
EVA Pod – The EVA Pod is a fictional spacecraft used for extra-vehicular activity seen in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Jupiter spacecraft Discovery One carries three of these small, one-man maintenance vehicles. [EVA – Extra-Vehicular Activity i.e. activity outside of the prime space vehicle.] Film stage. Detail of manipulator arms. Illustrations by …
Read More “1965-8 – Space Pod – 2001: A Space Odyssey – Clarke (British) / Kubrick (American)”
Apollo-Soyuz Shuttle Manipulator Demo (1971-1972) – By David S. F. Portree , 05.14.2012 During the 1983 STS-7 mission, the crew of Shuttle Challenger used the Remote Manipulator System arm to deploy and retrieve the SPAS satellite, which captured this iconic image. The arm, bent to form the numeral “7,” is visible near the front …
Read More “1971-2 – Apollo-Soyuz Shuttle Manipulator – Caldwell Johnson (American)”
Android Space Manipulator Robots May Tend Ailing Satellites -One of the frustrations of scientists is "burned out" satellites, those which, because of a malfunction or a worn-out part, inertly orbit the earth, doing no worldly good. "Such a satellite becomes a million dollar bit of space debris for lack of a two-dollar part. It would …
Read More “1968 – Android Space Manipulator (Concept) – General Electric (American)”