Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS

#1

Post by urahara » Tue, Jul 18, 2017, 7:33 AM UTC

Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS
bbc.com

Re: Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS

#2

Post by gcb0 » Tue, Jul 18, 2017, 11:52 AM UTC

and no word on how it moves. even bbc is going downhill :(

Re: Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS

#3

Post by mikekchar » Tue, Jul 18, 2017, 12:06 PM UTC

gcb0 wrote: post #2

and no word on how it moves. even bbc is going downhill :(

Here is an article straight from Jaxa: http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/kiboexp/news/170714_int_ball_en.html

They also don't say, but they link to this article: http://www.kenkai.jaxa.jp/eng/research/electrical/triaxial.h... which has a lot more technical detail. Unfortunately I don't have time to dig deeper, but hopefully it will help you search a bit better.

Re: Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS

#4

Post by TeMPOraL » Tue, Jul 18, 2017, 12:13 PM UTC

gcb0 wrote: post #2

and no word on how it moves. even bbc is going downhill :(

It seems to be rotating via reaction wheels (via this[0]). I haven't yet figured out how it translates, though.

EDIT: if you have gravity available, the video on that site illustrates a clever way to use those reaction wheels to move around by tumbling.

EDIT2: "for maneuvering around in space there are twelve electric micro-fans or μFans"[1]. The SE thread has a screenshot of a video which shows the placement of those fans.

EDIT3: Full video about the Int-Ball[2].

--

[0] - http://www.kenkai.jaxa.jp/eng/research/electrical/triaxial.h...

[1] - https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/22324/how-does-jax...

[2] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtIARUS7Lqc&feature=youtu.be...

Re: Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS

#5

Post by nashashmi » Tue, Jul 18, 2017, 12:15 PM UTC

gcb0 wrote: post #2

and no word on how it moves. even bbc is going downhill :(

I was looking for the same thing. It has got a motor inside and uses some kind of momentum to rotate. Another motor makes it go forward, but at a snail's pace.

Re: Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS

#6

Post by monort » Tue, Jul 18, 2017, 12:23 PM UTC

gcb0 wrote: post #2

and no word on how it moves. even bbc is going downhill :(

According to their press release it has 12 propellers (推進用ファン): http://issstream.tksc.jaxa.jp/iss2/press/170714_intball.pdf

Re: Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS

#7

Post by TeMPOraL » Tue, Jul 18, 2017, 12:27 PM UTC

nashashmi wrote: post #5

gcb0 wrote: post #2

and no word on how it moves. even bbc is going downhill :(

I was looking for the same thing. It has got a motor inside and uses some kind of momentum to rotate. Another motor makes it go forward, but at a snail's pace.

It has 3 motors for 3-axis reaction wheel set (for rotation), and 12 fans to move around.

Re: Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS

#8

Post by alex_duf » Tue, Jul 18, 2017, 12:40 PM UTC

I can understand how it rotates, but how does it moves? as in going from one module to the next one?

Re: Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS

#9

Post by venning » Tue, Jul 18, 2017, 1:10 PM UTC

TeMPOraL wrote: post #4

gcb0 wrote: post #2

and no word on how it moves. even bbc is going downhill :(

It seems to be rotating via reaction wheels (via this[0]). I haven't yet figured out how it translates, though. EDIT: if you have gravity available, the video on that site illustrates a clever way to use those reaction wheels to move around by tumbling. EDIT2: "for maneuvering around in space there are twelve electric micro-fans or μFans"[1]. The SE thread has a screenshot of a video which shows the placement of thos…

From a related video: the reaction wheels spin up while keeping total angular momentum at zero, then apply a rapid (magnetic) brake to transfer the momentum to the body (from the wheels). I'm assuming if you do that precisely enough (and in three dimensions), you can generate linear movement.

EDIT: I'm probably very wrong about the movement.

EDIT: The video: https://youtu.be/n_6p-1J551Y

Re: Japan's zero-gravity space drone sends first pictures from ISS

#10

Post by lordvon » Tue, Jul 18, 2017, 1:11 PM UTC

venning wrote: post #9

TeMPOraL wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems to be rotating via reaction wheels (via this[0]). I haven't yet figured out how it translates, though. EDIT: if you have gravity available, the video on that site illustrates a clever way to use those reaction wheels to move around by tumbling. EDIT2: "for maneuvering around in space there are twelve electric micro-fans or μFans"[1]. The SE thread has a screenshot of a video which shows the placement of thos…

From a related video: the reaction wheels spin up while keeping total angular momentum at zero, then apply a rapid (magnetic) brake to transfer the momentum to the body (from the wheels). I'm assuming if you do that precisely enough (and in three dimensions), you can generate linear movement. EDIT: I'm probably very wrong about the movement. EDIT: The video: https://youtu.be/n_6p-1J551Y

how does conservation of linear momentum apply? edit: this question was asked when the parent comment claimed that this machine could "generate linear momentum" from the wheels.