ASTRIC - Design and control of cooperative robots for rapid deployment in asteroid impact deterrence missions

摘要

The problem of trajectory deterrence for asteroids detected with short notice before high-probability of impact with Earth demands the ability to select from a number of manipulative operations in a real-time operating environment that may not allow for constant or reliable human-machine communications, and which may require significant cooperativity among multiple robot devices in deep space. ASTRIC is an engineering program designed to produce an integrated system for such challenging remote space-based robotic missions. Its emphasis is upon adaptive intelligent multi-agent control of modular, reconfigurable, fault-tolerant components operating as semi-autonomous networks. We describe here the foundations of the core components of the architecture and the methodological approach for a cybernetic engine capable of controlling high-velocity objects operating with low tolerance for error in settings where uncertainty and noise are both likely to be high due to distance and limited target observability.