ISS hosts floating droids

摘要

Today, the ability to coordinate and synchronize multiple unmanned spacecraft in tightly controlled spaces can be achieved only through the magic of movies. However, a spacecraft called Spheres (Synchronized Position Hold Engage Reorient Experimental Satellite) could someday make it a reality. Scientists at the MIT Space Systems Laboratory and Payload Systems, both in Cambridge, Mass., developed the Spheres experiment to test formation flying and multispacecraft control algorithms for the Air Force and NASA. The development of such algorithms will be an important step toward enabling future space missions.