Space Infrastructure Dexterous Robot (SPIDER)
The SPIDER robotic arm is a 5-meter long, 7-joint advanced robotic arm developed by Maxar Space Robotics in Pasadena, CA, and MDA Space in Canada, to demonstrate in-space assembly. SPIDER is one of three robotic arms on NASA’s OSAM-1 mission.
The development process included not just design of the robotic arm, but also creation of new test facilities and prototypes, including an overhead gravity offloader, a poured-epoxy air bearing facility, and two prototypes for ground testing.
I led the design of the robotic arm from Phase A (Concept phase) through Critical Design Review, including countless hours of mechanical design and testing. I also designed the overhead gravity offloader, consisting of two planar robotic arms mounted on an X-Y gantry system.
The SPIDER flight arm has completed assembly at MAXAR, and a cool video of a demo with the prototype arm on the gravity offloader is linked below!
The SPIDER prototype being tested at the Maxar facility in Pasadena, CA. The image also shows the overhead gravity offloader, and the poured epoxy air bearing surface.
An illustration showing the SPIDER robotic arm on the side of the OSAM-1 spacecraft, completing assembly of an antenna reflector in space.