CanadarmGroup: Ranger

Group Member: Robert Ingino, Arthur Wong, Jeremy Sills

Canadarm History

• NASA needed a Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) in the early ‘70s

• A small Canadian firm, DSMA Atcon (Now MDA) caught the eye of NASA

• One of the major contribution from Canada

Credit: http://www.artizans.com/image/DEW382/canadarm-thumbs-nose-at-ottawa/

Purpose of Canadarm• Deploy satellites for

operational

• Receive satellites for repairing

• First generation of Canadarm was mounted on each space shuttle

• A total of 5 first generation Canadarms were produced

• 1 were lost in the explosion

Credit: http://www.ieee.ca/millennium/canadarm/canadarm_summa.html

Canadarm

• First Canadarm was deployed in November, 1981 during STS-2

• Main mission is to help deploying space object

• After the Columbia incident, cameras and sensors were added

Credit: http://www.ieee.ca/millennium/canadarm/canadarm_home.html

Canadarm

Credit: MDA Credit: Neptec

Canadarm

• Apart from controlling inside the shuttle, the arm can also be controlled from the End Effector

• The technology of the space robotics arm were also used for medical purposes

• It increases accuracy, efficiency and quality during surgery

Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadarm

Thermal Protection System

• The thermal protection system helps maintain the temperature inside the Canadarm

• In extreme cold temperatures it will heat up to maintain a stable operating temperature for the arm

• Kapton layers, Dacron scrim cloth and Beta cloth were used on the outside of the Canadarm

• Similar materials were used on the astronaut suits

Thermal Protection System

Credit: MDA

Retirement of Canadarm

• The first generation of Canadarmwas retired after the last space shuttle mission

• All remaining arms were being stored back on Earth

Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-135

Credit: Canadian Space Agency

Canadarm2

• Launch in April, 2001 during STS-100

• Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield helped installing the Canadarm2 on the ISS

• Ground control is responsible to coordinate Canadarm2 activities

Credit: The Globe and Mail

Canadarm2

• An upgraded version of Candarm that carry heavier payload, more cameras and sensors to detect damages

• Similar to the first generation of Canadarm, it is able to control the arm from the ISS or outside the space station

• This arm can repair in outer space due to the reason it is mounted on the ISS for a permeant period

• Canadarm2 also assists docking for space shuttle

Canadarm2• Apart from docking and

retrieving satellites, Canadarm2 also help the expansion of the ISS

• The ISS kept expanding since the deployment of Canadarm2

Credit: http://www.itbusiness.ca/news/final-flight-how-small-canadian-firms-played-a-big-part-in-the-success-of-nasas-space-shuttle-program/14897

Mobile Base System

• The mobile base system was installed to allow the Canadarm2 to move on a rail truss

• This allow the arm to reach to more places on the ISS

• The MBS was installed during STS-111

Credit: Canadian Space Agency

Mobile Base System

Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Servicing_System#mediaviewer/File:ISS_Mobile_Transporter_railway_system.jpg

Canadarm Comparison

Canadarm

• Mounted on the space shuttle

• 5 were made

• Less cameras

• Less movement compare to Canadarm2

• Lighter and smaller than Candarm2

Canadarm2

• Mounted on the ISS

• Only 1 was made

• Heavier and longer than Canadarm

• Can carry heavier payload compare to Canadarm

The Next Generation Canadarm(Canadarm3)

• Currently the CSA are developing the next generation Canadram

• Same size as Canadarm2 but lighter and more compact for future spacecraft

• It is unknown when the new Canadarm will deploy into service

Credit: Canadian Space Agency

Similar Robotics Arm for Space Environment

European Robotic Arm

Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Robotic_Arm#mediaviewer/File:Rendering_European_Robotic_Arm_on_ISS.jpg

Japanese Remote Manipulate System

Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibo_(ISS_module)#mediaviewer/File:Japanese_Experiment_Module_exterior_-_cropped.jpg

Strela (Russian)

Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strela_(crane)#mediaviewer/File:Sts110-363-001.jpg

Future Improvement• Ground control can override the

controlling system in case of emergency

• Can fit into Soyuz spacecraft or Orion spacecraft

• Add sensor to detect incoming space debris

• Of course, more funding would help!

Credit: http://www.artizans.com/image/PDEA156/canadian-space-agencys-canadarm-panhandles/

Work Cited

• http://www.mdacorporation.com/canada/index.cfm

• http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/magazine/jun13/canadarm.asp

• http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/iss/canadarm2/c1-c2.asp

• http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/mss.html