NASA
Robotic Refueling Mission on Wikipedia
NASA
Robotic Refueling Mission on Wikipedia
https://youtu.be/O9bmZJATnJs
NASA's VIPIR Tool on Orbit
Published on Jul 20, 2015
Quote:
Like a snake burrowing through a nest, NASA’s VIPIR tool sends its video borescope through an obstacle course on the International Space Station as part of the May 2015 Robotic Refueling Mission operations.
Designed and built by the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, VIPIR – the Visual Inspection Poseable Invertebrate Robot – is a robotic, multi–capability inspection tool designed to deliver near and midrange inspection capabilities in space. It was tested on orbit as part of NASA's Robotic Refueling Mission, an investigation that demonstrates tools, technologies and techniques to refuel and repair satellites on orbit, especially satellites not designed for in-flight service.
In this video VIPIR, held by the space station’s Dextre robot, approaches and then sends its video borescope through the obstacle course on the Robotic Refueling Mission module, where the borescope progresses and ultimately emerges into space. These on-orbit demonstrations are helping NASA evaluate camera systems and operational techniques for various tasks on potential future missions.
Article "This Robot is All Eyes to Inspect Satellites in Orbit"
by Mika McKinnon
November 4, 2015