Automation and Robotics for the Space Station: Recommendations

On January 25, 1984, President Reagan announced a United States program to place a permanent space station in orbit in 1992. The Congressional bill appropriating the funding for this program requires that a significant portion of the program funds be for the development of new automation and robotics technologies not in use on existing spacecraft. To assist it in developing plans to meet this requirement, NASA established an Automation and Robotics Panel in August 1984. This paper presents verbatim the Executive Summary of the Panel's report to NASA. It should be recognized that this report to NASA is advisory only, and that for a variety of reasons, including funding, what is actually implemented will certainly differ in many respects from the recommendations. Nevertheless, the report represents the thinking of a prestigious group of scholars and practitioners in automation and robotics, and many of the recommendations undoubtedly will be implemented. A summary of the NASA recommendations will be published following their official release.