A Robotics Testbed for In-Space Assembly Tasks

The operations testbed of the Center for Space Construction at the University of Colorado is described. This testbed serves as a centralized testing environment for interdisciplinary research in the problems of construction and assembly in space. The three main components are described: NoPumpG - a flexible user interface system; OASIS (Operations and Science Instrument Support) - a teleoperations package; and a SCORBOT robot with its associated assembly mock-ups. Finally, integration efforts involving all three components and some on-going robotics assembly tasks using the robotics testbed are described.