The document describes a robotics boot camp program started in 2004 at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to develop robotics capabilities with limited funding. It details various projects completed by student teams, including robotic arms, rovers, and sensors. It proposes expanding the program by partnering with a college to offer academic credit and attract paying customers from industry and NASA. Students would complete existing projects and take on new jobs for hands-on experience in mechanical, electrical, and software engineering. The program aims to provide highly marketable skills and opportunities for students.

1. ROBOTICS BOOT CAMP 2004 TO PRESENT

2. STUDENT-POWERED ROBOTICS
Problem: How to develop a Robotics
Capability with limited R&D funds
Background:
• Can’t win proposals to get funds until you
demonstrate capability
• GSFC is not an R&D agency, so others will
take the lead outside of satellite observations
Solution:
• Mentor College Seniors doing our Robotics
Projects for academic credits

4. First “Off the Shelf” Robot Chassis – The Machine Lab MMP-30 – Summer 2004

8. Robotic Docking Maneuver simulating Hubble Repair Mission, Antarctica Jan 2005
Students operated their robotic arm in McMurdo, via satellite links from GSFC

10. Michigan State University (MSU) Engineering Seniors team – Fall 2006

11. Boot Camp Team at GSFC – Summer 2005

13. Field Testing with DARPA Challenger, Axion Racing Team in Las Vegas Desert Summer,2005

14. BOOT CAMP team at GSFC – Summer 2007

16. GREAT PROJECT 2008
ANTARCTICA & ALASKA

18. STORE-AND-FORWARD NETWORKING
Relay stores data
while not in view of
Earth
Relay Range
Relay transmits
data when in view
of Earth
Disruption Tolerant Networking
(DTN) is an effort to develop and
standardize a message-based,
store-and-forward system with
reliability, security, and quality of
service.

21. North to Alaska – Pt Barrow

23. n the Arctic Ice Cap at -40C in the dark, Jan 2008
olors show distances, even for the snowflakes

24. 3D Height Map of Lab, composed of several stitched and rotated LIDAR images

26. Current sphere-Detection Algorithm finds all the spherical shapes
Hueristics test re being developed to sort out the fiducial targets

27. UNIVERSITY COOPERATION

28. Michigan State & Maryland Universities collaborating on Robotics at GSFC – Spring, 2007

31. Chelsea designs and fabricates Obstacle avoidance sensor array for Nanook – Spring 2009

32. Jamaal programs Nanook for Obstacle Avoidance – Spring 2009

38. Naveed and Kiran redesign Astrobot – Summer 2009

47. • “Fail & Fix” approach maximizes learning
• New applications for existing technologies
– Software developed works on $100M robots
– Enables relevant field testing of flight-like h/w
• Co-operation:
– Something to offer / Something to gain
• Small “Turned-on” team
• Do it fast: Trade risk and cost for speed
• Persistence: Good Ideas will draw needed funds after a critical development
point
COOL SPACE PHILOSOPHY

48. • Real World Engineering work in Groups
– Multi-disciplinary Skills are Essential
– The Product requires Design Compatibility
• Co-operation
– Each needs to Appreciate the Others
– Each depends on the Others
• Mentors can Assist as Available
• The Best and Brightest Shine
– More than just grades
• Unusual Opportunities for “Can-Do” Types
ENGINEERING BOOT CAMP PHILOSOPHY

50. NASA/GSFC ENGINEERING BOOT CAMP 2010

52. LIDAR-ASSISTED ROBOTIC GROUP EXPLORATION

53. 360- DEG LIDAR SURVEYOR BOT

54. SPHERE-DETECTION & MAPPING

55. 360 LIDAR NOW AS A NEW MOTHERSHIP

56. A SEGMENT OF A 360 LIDAR IMAGE

57. 10-FT GOES GVAR WEATHER STATION ANTENNA

58. 65” PLASMA FOR REALTIME SATELLITE WEATHER

59. 2-ARM ROBOT CONCEPTUAL APPLICATION

60. END EFFECTOR FOR 2-ARM BOT

61. EXOTIC MATERIALS SMART ARM

62. MODIFY FOR A COLLEGE
- NASA cannot accept paying students but Colleges can
- Create a special full semester Real-World lab at Capitol College
- Highly Competitive to ensure a core of skilled leader students
- Undergrads would assist to get practical, hands-on experiences
- Academic Credit would be baselined.
- Customers would pay the College to greatly improve their marketability
- Each semester the program will get bigger and better
- Expand to include more mechanical capabilities; CAD only initially
- NASA carryover projects initially
- NASA Science and Industry projects later: Pay for Products
- Industry sees top candidates working on real-world jobs

63. PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH
- Bring in four known student leaders with the right technical skills
- Two Mexicans are graduates in CE. Hire them as uniquely qualified
instructors because of their direct contributions to NASA Boot Camp
- One US Citizen is Undergrad. Give him free Ed to complete his Degree
in CE at Capitol in 2 years
- He has very practical skills that can help undergrads in the new Lab
- Provide free lodging with this group housed together at Capitol
- One US Citizen is a BioMed Grad/TA at CUA
- Hire him as a TA for Capitol to teach CAD and Robotics 101 (new)
- Provide small salaries for their unique teaching services, for a full year
- Options to continue annually
- These key contributors are proven and can guarantee Program success

64. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Complete unfinished robotics projects from the NASA EBC (ROB 101)
- The parts are designed, built, paid for.
- Need assembly, some electronics, programming
- The core lead group of four will direct all activities and train undergrads
- Academic Credit towards a CE/CS degree. (Advertise as a new Spring Course)
- Build on these projects in the Spring (students compete to enroll)
Start lobbying for Industry and NASA projects now
- Include these projects in the Spring and Summer, as appropriate
- Summer Course would involve field work with these completed devices
- Advanced programming for specific applications
- Demo to paying customers eg DOD and Joint Medical Center
- Take on new jobs for academic credit but continue repeating ROB 101
- Industry and NASA provide new projects with modest funding
- Special Summer Program 12 weeks; Open to paying outsiders who make the cut.

65. FUTURE EXPANSION
- Will need to add a mechanical shop to prototype designs
- May continue to work with NASA code 547
- Will need to add some mechanical engineering courses beyond CAD
- Start the process of certifying a new Mechanical Engr Curriculum
- Offer a specific degree in Robotics ie Electrical + Mechanical + Software
- Solicit customers from Industry and NASA and DoD
- Reputation for hands-on development of highly marketable skills

66. INITIAL PROJECTS TO COMPLETE FOR CREDIT
Following are several Projects started during the Summer 2011 in the NASA
GSFC Engineering Boot Camp, which can now be completed at Capitol
College for academic credit as an Elective or Senior Capstone Design.
All the key parts to complete have been designed, manufactured or
purchased. What remains is the assembly, electronics integration,
programming, field testing, application specific demonstrations,…