Resilient ExtraTerrestrial Habitats

www.purdue.edu/reth @Purdue_RETH

Robotics and Autonomy: The Future of People in Space

Dr. Julia M. Badger Project Manager for the Robotics and Intelligence for Human Spacecraft Team NASA-Johnson Space Center

September 13th, 2018 2:00 – 3:00 pm POTR 234

Abstract: Designs are underway for the next human outpost in space, in the form of a habitat in lunar orbit. This “Gateway” to deep space human presence represents a paradigm shift in human spaceflight. Unlike the continuously crewed International Space Station, the Gateway will be uncrewed for 11 months of the year, but like the ISS, it is expected to remain operational during this time. Adding in a new ground operations tempo and periods with reduced communications bandwidth, the Gateway will require an unprecedented amount of autonomy for a complex, human-rated spacecraft. This talk will discuss the research and development in support of the autonomous system management architecture and robotics elements that will be essential to the success of this next chapter of human space exploration.

Bio: Dr. Badger is the Project Manager for the Robotics and Intelligence for Human Spacecraft Team at NASA-Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. She is responsible for the research and development of Robonaut 2, a humanoid robotic caretaker, and autonomous system management capabilities, both on the Earth and on the International Space Station. She also serves as the Gateway Systems Engineering & Integration Lead for Autonomy and Intravehicular Robotics. Dr. Badger has a BS from Purdue University, and an MS and PhD from the California Institute of Technology, all in Mechanical Engineering. Her work has been honored with several awards, including NASA Software of the Year and Early Career Awards.