Thomas Corrigan

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About

Thomas Corrigan is a robotics researcher whose work has made meaningful contributions to the field of space robotics, particularly in the development of experimental systems for testing and validating robotic technologies in simulated microgravity environments. His most significant contribution is the Vehicle Emulation System II (VES II), a laboratory test bed designed to replicate the complex dynamic interactions between space robotic manipulators and their free-floating bases — interactions that are notoriously difficult to study on Earth due to gravitational interference. This work, cited 39 times, addressed a critical gap in the field by providing researchers with a reliable terrestrial platform for evaluating control and planning algorithms intended for space deployment. His earlier work on emulating microgravity in laboratory settings, published in 1994 and cited 12 times, laid the conceptual and technical groundwork for this test bed, advancing beyond the planar motion limitations of previous experimental systems. Through presentations at prestigious venues such as the IEEE/RSJ/GI International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Corrigan helped bring these innovations to the broader robotics community. His body of work remains a valuable reference for researchers developing autonomous systems for space exploration and orbital servicing missions.