AI dates back in 1950s, where its potential was recognized in performing human-like tasks. Over the years, AI found its application diverse fields, including space exploration and surviving extreme conditions. Spacecraft designing and manufacturing poses unique challenges due to the distinct environment beyond earth. It is playing crucial role in spacecraft designing and manufacturing from detecting defects onboard spacecraft to design autopilot spacecraft for deep space. It is also facilitating quick decision making and data analyzes.
In this article, we will explore the role of AI in spacecraft designing and manufacturing. Aerospace industry rely on AI to design spacecraft that replicate human engineers. This integration of AI-powered robots and advanced algorithms with spacecraft engineering has streamlined spacecraft manufacturing, present new tools like autonomous spacecraft swarms for unrevealing cosmic mysteries. It is enhancing efficiency, quality control, and lessening the cost and time for spacecraft manufacturing.
Role of AI in Spacecraft Designing and Manufacturing
Automation in Manufacturing
Automation in spacecraft manufacturing is powered by advanced AI algorithms, robotics, conveyors, and smart automation streamline production, cuts cost, and watch productivity soar. Automation reduces the need for manual labor, increases productivity, and ensures product consistency. It also reduces the risk of workplace and allows work in hazardous environments without endangering humans. Airbus a private company has developed the autonomous robots that are able to assemble the parts of spacecraft directly in the orbit and even can make hardware on ISS from space raw materials by using 3D printers. This automation has revolutionized the spacecraft designing and manufacturing and also overcome the problems like launching of too large spacecraft from earth. It also paving the way for Artemis mission to explore moon’s surface.
Designing Spacecraft
AI algorithms can design a rocket of spacecraft just in two weeks but takes years for this. It is thrilling and may be a bit unnerving. Typically rocket design is cruelling process with engineers testing every tiny detail for years. But AI can now accomplish this in days. The speed of AI is transforming the possibilities of space travel. This is not guessing; it analyzes millions of combinations for efficiency and safety in record time. If spacecraft and rockets being created faster and cheaper, will bring us closer to stars ever before. These AI-powered systems not only help in designing but AI algorithms like machine learning is used to test the spacecraft in different space scenarios to overcome potential issues in designing process. Simulation technologies also used for mission planning optimization in NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab.
Predictive Maintenance
Sensors powered by AI algorithms and computers vision monitor the designing and manufacturing of spacecraft and collect data to detect anomalies in spacecraft’s parts and manufacturing systems. These large data sets are fed in machine learning algorithms, which analyze this vast amount of data in real-time to predict potential failures timely and give alerts to respective system to fix the problem before its happening. As space conditions are very harsh, so this predictive maintenance enhance the safety, reliability, lifetime, and ensures the optimal functionality. It also reduces expenses of spacecraft designing and manufacturing.
Quality Control
In spacecraft designing and manufacturing, to check the quality of parts of spacecraft AI- advanced algorithms are used to recognize images of parts taken during manufacturing process to detect the faults. To train such systems require a large database of imaginary of different defect types is needed and Generative AI provides such images to train these AI-powered systems. Before AI quality control was done manually, leading to errors and inconsistencies. Now machine learning algorithms can be used to automatically inspect and test products, increasing efficiency and accuracy in spacecraft designing and manufacturing. It also prevents unexpected failures in spacecraft and ensures more safe and successful space missions in harsh space conditions.
Challenges for AI in Spacecraft Designing and Manufacturing
As AI-powered tools are enhancing safety and reliability of space missions by designing and manufacturing spacecraft with higher quality control, less expenses, and enhanced autonomy. as in spacecraft faces adverse environments, microgravity, cosmic radiations, and extreme weathers, so designing and manufacturing with AI-equipped system poses many challenges like
- Vast data sets are required to train these systems.
- Cosmic radiation may affect software and hardware.
- Enhanced autonomy poses ethical concerns.
- These autonomous systems are also face cybersecurity issues.
Conclusion
Companies along with space agencies are using AI to design and manufacture spacecraft hardware. The method involves an engineer putting the existing designs into the software, indicating where they need to be connected, as well as what areas in the existing design to avoid, such areas that would interfere with various sensor that will be installed. The AI software then maps out a structure that is most weight and size efficient to connect to the existing parts. Then resulting design is then fabricated using a 3D printer, resulting in a structure that saves up to two thirds of the weight and is more structurally efficient than parts designed by human engineers. This technique is being used for future space telescopes in upcoming NASA’s missions such as the Mars sample return mission.
In this article, we have explained that how AI-powered techniques are revolutionizing designing and manufacturing of spacecraft. It is enhancing quality control, autonomy, predictive maintenance, and reducing the cost. But still, it poses various challenges to address. Such innovations serve as tools to deepen our understanding of our purpose and place in the universe.
Dr. Abid Hussain Nawaz, Ph.D. & Post Doc
Zeenat Mushtaque, Master of philosophy in Solid State Physics
