Development of a Software Layer for the Integration of Robotic Elements into the METERON Infrastructure using Robotic Services

Abstract

The Multipurpose End-To-End Robotics Operations Network, in short METERON, is a project initiated by the European Space Agency in order to prepare for the high complexity of future robotic space exploration missions. For this purpose, METERON provides a test environment that allows to evaluate and to demonstrate relevant concepts and technologies in the domains of Communications, Operations and Robotics.The effort for the integration of diverse robotic systems, especially from other agencies, into the METERON infrastructure can be decreased remarkably if standardised interfaces for common robotic capabilities are available. Hence, a set of Web Services, the METERON Robotic Services, have been developed in a communication and implementation agnostic manner, following the service oriented design principles of the CCSDS Mission Operations framework.This work presents the re-integration of the METERON Robotic Services and the robotic elements of the METERON project which became necessary after a redesign of the services implementation. The existent tight integration between the services and the robotic elements is removed and an additional software layer is developed that allows a clean separation between those two systems. The software layer interfaces the METERON Robotic Services and is attached to the robotic elements, allowing them to communicate with the METERON Operational Environment. Thereby, the layer acts as an independent adapter which transmits telecommands, telemetry and notifications from and to the METERON Robotic Services.Sophisticated testing was performed within METERON’s Development Chain, which is meant to simulate the setup of the system architecture as present during experiments, showing that the developed adapter is correctly accomplishing its designated tasks. Moreover, the performance of the whole METERON infrastructure in synergy with the adapter was validated. Hence, the presented work can be seen as a proof-of-concept for the future integration of robotic systems from other agencies into the METERON infrastructure with less effort for custom software development by connecting with the METERON Robotic Services.