Space applications of teleoperation

Abstract

As considered for nuclear and underwater teleoperation, robotics applications in space is also a subject for study, both from the point of view of remotely manned systems and the presence of man in space. The large distances involved, however, in outer space teleoperation, even in low orbit, can give rise to even more communication problems than encountered in underwater work. In particular, there are transmission delays caused by the time taken for the signals to cover the distance and for the data to be processed (whether these relate to sensor signals or control signals). The field of outer space exploration and now exploitation has led to developments in the robotic process in the same way that nuclear research and industry earlier put pressure on the development of the technology for remote systems.