Validation of Space Robotics in Underwater Environments Via Disturbance Robustness Equivalency
Joris Verhagen, Elias Krantz, Chelsea Sidrane, David Dörner, Nicola De Carli, Pedro Roque, Huina Mao, Gunnar Tibert, Ivan Stenius, Christer Fuglesang, Dimos V. Dimarogonas, Jana Tumova
AI summary
Problem
Faithfully replicating microgravity and space dynamics on Earth remains a major challenge for validating autonomous spacecraft, limiting the reliability of terrestrial testing.
Approach
The framework adjusts underwater mission specifications to match the space mission's disturbance robustness degree and employs feedback-equivalent Model Predictive Control to make the underwater robot dynamically mimic the space platform.
Key results
- Robustness-matched motion planning via Signal Temporal Logic
- Feedback-equivalent MPC control for cross-environment trajectory execution
- Experimental validation using a BlueROV against a physical spacecraft analog and simulated CubeSat
- Disturbance estimation confirming underwater results predict space feasibility
Why it matters
Enables cost-effective, systematic validation of autonomous space missions on Earth without relying on impractical microgravity simulators.
Abstract
We present an experimental validation framework for space robotics that leverages underwater environments to approximate microgravity dynamics. While neutral buoyancy conditions make underwater robotics an excellent platform for space robotics validation, there are still dynamical and environmental differences that need to be overcome. Given a high-level space mission specification, expressed in terms of a Signal Temporal Logic specification, we overcome these differences via the notion of maximal disturbance robustness of the mission. We formulate the motion planning problem such that the original space mission and the validation mission achieve the same disturbance robustness degree. The validation platform then executes its mission plan using a near-identical control strategy to the space mission where the closed-loop controller considers the spacecraft dynamics. Evaluating our validation framework relies on estimating disturbances during execution and comparing them to the disturbance robustness degree, providing practical evidence of operation in the space environment. Our evaluation features a dual-experiment setup: an underwater robot operating under near-neutral buoyancy conditions to validate the planning and control strategy of either an experimental planar spacecraft platform or a CubeSat in a high-fidelity space dynamics simulator. Code and videos can be found on the project page