SPACEWIRE-BASED CONTROL SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE FOR THE LIGHTWEIGHT ADVANCED ROBOTIC ARM DEMONSTRATOR (LARAD)

摘要

The Lightweight Advanced Robotic ArmrnDemonstrator (LARAD) is a state-of-the-art, twometerrnlong robotic arm for planetary surfacernexploration currently being developed by a UKrnconsortium led by Airbus Defence and Space Ltdrnunder contract to the UK Space Agency (CREST-2rnprogramme). LARAD has a modular design, whichrnallows for experimentation with differentrnelectronics and control software. The controlrnsystem architecture includes the on-boardrncomputer, control software and firmware, and therncommunication infrastructure (e.g. data links,rnswitches) connecting on-board computer(s),rnsensors, actuators and the end-effector. Thernpurpose of the control system is to operate the armrnaccording to pre-defined performancernrequirements, monitoring its behaviour in real-timernand performing safing/recovery actions in case ofrnfaults.rnThis paper reports on the results of a recent studyrnabout the feasibility of the development andrnintegration of a novel control system architecturernfor LARAD fully based on the SpaceWire protocol.rnThe current control system architecture is based onrnthe combination of two communication protocols,rnEthernet and CAN. The new SpaceWire-basedrncontrol system will allow for improved monitoringrnand telecommanding performance thanks to higherrncommunication data rate, allowing for the adoptionrnof advanced control schemes, potentially based onrnmultiple vision sensors, and for the handling ofrnsophisticated end-effectors that require fine control,rnsuch as science payloads or robotic hands.