JEMRMS DEVELOPMENT STATUS

JEMRMS is a subelement of JEM (Japanese Experiment Module) which is a Japanese participation for the international Space Station Freedom. Th e JEMRMS is a Japanese unique mother-daughter type remote manipulator system to be used for JEM EF (Exposed Facility) servicing such as the experiment payload exchange, and the EF ORU replacement. The Main Arm (MA), which is a 10m long mother manipulator attached to the JEM PM (P ressurized Module) aft end plate, is used for large payload handling l ike the EF experiment exchange. The Small Fine Arm (SFA), which a 2m l ong daughter manipulator remotely attached to the tip of MA during ope ration, is used for dextrous tasks like the EF ORU replacement. There have been various improvements and modifications in the JEMRMS design after PDR as a result of the international commonality approach, techn ical challenges to overcome PDR issues, and technology development tes ts. Because of the SSF commonality approach, the hand controller (HC) type was changed from a 6 DOF force reflective HC to 2 x 3 DOF passive HCs, as well as JEMRMS console equipment layout was redesigned and th e SFA bore sight camera has been incorporated in the SFA configuration design. PDR issues, such as the MA and the PM structural interface in the STS launch configuration, berthing mechanism interfaces, and safe ty issues of inadvertent payload release and collision avoidance, have been resolved by intensive study and necessary modifications applied to the JEMRMS design. A unique feature of the JEMRMS viewing technolog y for the space robotics as well as relative position and orientation measurement by using vision equipment is introduced in this paper. Ele ment technology development tests have been conducted for the MA, the SFA, and the arm control equipment. Development tests of system techno logy, such as human-machine interface, task operational interfaces of the MA and the SFA, and EVA maintenance design, have also been perform ed. Based on these technology development tests, the detailed design o f the JEMRMS engineering model (EM) are being established to enter int o the EM manufacturing phase.