Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Hi, my name is Alex Janas.
I'm a robotic operator here at the Servicing Technology Center.
So the test I want to talk to you guys about today is called RROxiTT,
and this is a remote fluid transfer test,
which is going to be performed by taking this robot
and sending it down to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
And myself, I'm going to be the operator right here at NASA Goddard.
Some of the challenging aspects of this task include this valve.
This is a standard satellite valve
that they use for filling a satellite with fuel on the ground,
and then it's sealed up and never meant to be opened again in space.
My job is going to be to fly up, align to, and access this servicing valve.
So if you can imagine, this would be a servicing arm in space;
this tool would be our tool;
and this would access a satellite that's already in space.
Another hard aspect about this test
is that I'm going to be commanding this robot from here at NASA Goddard.
So now I'm commanding it and I'm telling the robot
to go forward, up, down, left, right, and align it;
there's going to be a time delay from when I send the robot a command
and when the robot actually receives the command itself.
So the fluid that we're going to be using during this test is called NTO,
and it's one of two fluids that are combined in a spacecraft in order
to create an explosion to propel a spacecraft forward in space.
Now this is very corrosive, dangerous fluid,
so when we're performing the test down in Florida,
any humans within several hundred feet of the work site
actually have to be wearing huge, big safety protective gear.
This test is all part of a greater effort to continue
maturing and advancing the technology
needed to repair and refuel satellites in space so that they'll last longer.
So tune in in early 2014 to watch me drive this robot
and perform the actual refueling test.