Dextre Robot to Use Wire Cutter Tool on NASA's Robotic Refueling Mission

Posted on March 8, 2012

NASA's Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) began operations on the International Space Station with the Canadian Dextre robot on March 7. RRM is an external station experiment designed to demonstrate the technologies, tools, and techniques needed to robotically service and refuel satellites in orbit.

Dextre, a twin-armed Canadian robotic handyman, was developed to perform delicate assembly and maintenance tasks on the station's exterior. RRM represents the first time Dextre is being used for technology research and development.

During the task, robot operators at NASA's Johnson Space Center will remotely control Dextre to retrieve RRM tools and go through its scheduled tasks. During the RRM Gas Fittings removal task, mission operators will direct Dextre to use the Wire Cutter Tool to cut a wire.

Frank Cepollina, associate director of SSCO at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, says, "Fresh satellite-servicing technologies will be demonstrated in a real space environment within months instead of years. This is huge. This represents real progress in space technology advancement."

Here is a video of Dextre's very first repair job on the ISS when he swapped out a faulty circuit breaker for a fresh one in August, 2011. Take a look:

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