Raven Unmanned System to be Included On 10th SpaceX Commercial Resupply Mission
When the 10th SpaceX commercial resupply mission launches, an unmanned system named Raven will be onboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, to help NASA come closer to its goal of achieving a relative navigation capability.
The Raven, which is a technology module, will be used to test ‘foundational technologies that will enable autonomous rendezvous in space,’ according to Phys.org.
Five days after launching, the Dextre robotic arm will remove Raven from the unpressurized ‘trunk’ of the SpaceX Dragon, and Raven will be attached on a payload platform outside the International Space Station, where it will begin collecting information that will go towards the development of a mature, real-time relative navigation system.
For NASA, having a system that can work autonomously in space to conduct autonomous rendezvous is important because it allows for the servicing of a client, such as a satellite, when it needs some type of assistant, such as being refueled. If a client that needs service is unmarked, it’s on the servicer spacecraft to find the client on its own, which can be difficult because of the speed of travel of the spacecrafts, combined with the darkness of space.
In order to locate the client needing service, the servicer would need an advanced machine vision system, which is where Raven comes into play. With Raven aboard the space station, it can provide the relative navigation system necessary to locate the client that needs service. The relative navigation system is housed in Raven’s carry-on luggage-sized frame, and not only can it help Raven locate its intended target, but Raven can also catch its target if necessary.
Since Raven operates on its own, there is no need for human interjection, which would cause a delay in timing, and subsequently, might put the spacecraft in jeopardy.
Ben Reed, deputy division director for the Satellite Servicing Projects Division (SSPD) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, says, “two spacecraft autonomously rendezvousing is crucial for many future NASA missions and Raven is maturing this never-before-attempted technology.”
Raven, which is expected to have a two-year lifespan, will be evaluated by on ground NASA operators. Raven’s components will combine and work together to independently image and track visiting space station spacecraft, that are both coming in and going out. NASA operators will judge how the various technologies of Raven work together as a system, and make the proper adjustments to increase the system’s tracking performance.
It is the hope of NASA that Raven’s technologies will support future NASA missions for decades to come.
