ROBOTIC REFUELING MISSION (RRM)
Research Area: Robotics
Expedition(s): 27-ongoing
Principal Investigator(s): ● Frank Cepollina, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, Maryland
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM)
investigation demonstrates and tests
the tools, technologie,s and
techniques needed to robotically
service and refuel satellites in space,
especially satellites not originally
designed to be serviced. RRM will
reduce risks and lay the foundation for
future robotic servicing missions in
microgravity.
EARTH BENEFITS
Robotic refueling extends the lifetime
of satellites, allowing owners and
operators years of additional service
and revenue, more value from the
initial satellite investment, and significant savings in delayed replacement costs. Numerous
satellites are in orbit today that could benefit from such a service.
SPACE BENEFITS
Robotic refueling and servicing
allow human and robotic explorers
to reach distant destinations more
efficiently and effectively by
eliminating the need for space
explorers and satellites to launch
with large amounts of fuel aboard,
thus freeing up mass for mission-
critical equipment and capabilities.
As an ISS investigation, RRM
reduces the risk associated with
performing robotic servicing tasks
in-orbit and lays the foundation for
a future robotic servicing mission to a free-flying satellite. It also advances space robotic
capabilities. It is the first NASA technology demonstration to test and prove technology needed
to perform robotic refueling and servicing on spacecraft not originally built for them, and the
first use of Dextre beyond robotic maintenance of the space station for technology research
The Robotic Refueling Mission module on the International
Space Station, temporarily installed on the Dextre robot's
Enhanced Orbital Replacement Unit Temporary Platform.In this artistic representation, the wire cutter and blanket
manipulation tool (right) approaches the Robotic Refueling
Mission box (left) to cut wire on a sealed cap.