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DLR SpaceBot Camp

The Evolution of Germany’s Space Robotics Competition

> ASTRA 2017 > Thilo Kaupisch • DLR SpaceBot Camp > 21.06.2017 DLR.de • Chart 1

T. Kaupisch, A. Arghir German Aerospace Center (DLR) Space Administration

• SpaceBot Cup

• Facts

• SpaceBot Camp 2015

• Results

• Lessons Learned

• SpaceBot Cup Next


> ASTRA 2015 > Thilo Kaupisch • DLR SpaceBot Cup > xx.05.2015 DLR.de • Chart 3

DLR SpaceBot Cup 2013 - Facts

• First German space robotics competition

• Time frame: 1 May 2013 – 30 November 2013; Event: 11/12 November 2013

• 10 participants

• Up to 50.000,- € funding per team

• Universities, research institutes and SMEs

• Scenario „Planetary exploration with infrastructure assembly“

• Navigate

• Plan

• Traverse

• Explore

• Manipulation of geometric objects up to 800g

• No GPS

• System mass 100kg max

• Delay in communication of 2 s

> ASTRA 2015 > Thilo Kaupisch • DLR SpaceBot Cup > 12.05.2015 DLR.de • Chart 5

DLR.de • Chart 7 > ASTRA 2017 > Thilo Kaupisch • DLR SpaceBot Camp > 21.06.2017

Results

• All teams delivered capable solutions

• Mobility, manipulation, sensors sufficient for the given task

• Autonomy and communications showed to be critical

• No ranking for 2013 due to strong variation in performance

• Lessons learned were collected from participants, jury and

organizers

• The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and

DLR Space Administration decided to continue the SpaceBot Cup


> ASTRA 2015 > Thilo Kaupisch • DLR SpaceBot Cup > xx.05.2015 DLR.de • Chart 9

Lessons Learned

• Time - In 9 month most of the work goes into engineering and building a capable system. Quality

management and testing however become secondary objectives. Full year time

• Testing - Rigorous testing for performance and compatibility eliminates most preventable sources of error.

• Communication - To have a clear understanding of the mission and foreseeable demands is key to mission

success. Open discussion forum, 3 Reviews/Consulting events

• Qualification - A ”pre-flight test” a reasonable amount of time before the competition shall give a clear picture

on requirement compliance.

• strive for the “DARPA Grand Challenge”-Effect


DLR SpaceBot Cup 2015

• Time frame: December 2014 – November 2015; Event: 13. November 2015

• 10 starting positions

• Up to 50.000,- € funding per Team

• Universities, research institutes and SMEs

• Same Scenario „Planetary exploration with infrastructure assembly“

• Navigate, plan, traverse, explore, manipulate

• + focus on autonomy performance

• + focus on mission aspects (e.g. communication)

• + soil sampling

• Goals:

• Assess capability of SMEs and academia in planetary robotics

• Rules and scoring for the competition

• Benchmarking for technology assessment

• Uncover untapped potential in non-space focused research 4 new teams

• Identify potential for future funding efforts

• Promote space robotics to industry; advertise STEM to students


DLR SpaceBot Cup 2015 – What happened next…

• Schedule and team support

• 5 meetings on site and remote

• „Impaired network“ training

• Prep time at events


• Work Environment

• Cubicles in a pit lane

• Tools, internet, space

• No need to move for competition

• Competition terrain and scoring

• Simple rules and scoring

• Challenging terrain

• Qualifying……..

• Video


Goals achieved

• 10 teams developed robotic systems over the course of 1 year;

• Challenging exploration scenario with mobile manipulation tasks;

• Most systems were capable of traversing rough terrain and performing the tasks with a high level of

autonomy;

• effective publicity for space, robotics, and STEM subjects;

• effective incentive for research groups to push the boundaries of their systems:

• SpaceBot gave the frame, funding, and motivation for new and refined developments;

• It generated scientific output in the form of journal- and conference papers, more than 40 graduating

theses;

• The main event was perceived as a good opportunity for exchange with experts and advertisement to

prospective students;

SpaceBot Camp 2015 Robotics performance show for space

11.-13. November 2015

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEEUwwG3nRI


SpaceBot Camp 2015 – Lessons Learned

• 12 months preparation is sufficient for the scope of the competition;

• Encouraging the teams to plan for testing paid off;

• Communication is key: review meetings helped keeping people aware of mission goals;

• Teams are often inexperienced in working with delayed networks, some training required;

• A qualification event helps to try/fail/retry before the main competition;

• … But don’t make it a death trap;

• People need space and time to prepare on site;

• The environment has a life of its own;

• Single use terrain is fun, but expensive. Look for partners and go for permanent facilities;

• Scoring and benchmarking is hard to balance (ongoing task), so be challenging and fair.



SpaceBot Next

SpaceBot Next

• Scoring system will be „task fulfillment“ driven;

• Environmental conditions will be more challenging;

• Focus on autonomous functions;

• Use of permanent facility;

• International CubeRover Challenge:

• Same field as SpaceBot Cup;

• “small rover” ≤ 25 cm x 25 cm x 25 cm launch envelope;

• Teleoperated terrain traverse;

• Autonomous “lava tube” exploration (apprx. 60 cm clearance);

• Instrument deployment;

• Long-term goal: sustainable internationally cooperative testing, benchmarking, and incentive activity;

• Under evaluation.


Thank you for your attention!


DLR SpaceBot Camp - robotics.estec.esa.int › ASTRA › Astra2017... · Look for partners and go...

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