We present an experimental validation framework for space robotics that leverages underwater environments to approximate microgravity dynamics. While neutral buoyancy conditions make underwater robotics an excellent platform for space robotics validation, there are still dynamical and environmental differences that need to be overcome. Given a high-level space mission specification, expressed in terms of a Signal Temporal Logic specification, we overcome these differences via the notion of maximal disturbance robustness of the mission. We formulate the motion planning problem such that the original space mission and the validation mission achieve the same disturbance robustness degree. The validation platform then executes its mission plan using a near-identical control strategy to the space mission where the closed-loop controller considers the spacecraft dynamics. Evaluating our validation framework relies on estimating disturbances during execution and comparing them to the disturbance robustness degree, providing practical evidence of operation in the space environment. Our evaluation features a dual-experiment setup: an underwater robot operating under near-neutral buoyancy conditions to validate the planning and control strategy of either an experimental planar spacecraft platform or a CubeSat in a high-fidelity space dynamics simulator.

翻译：我们提出了一种空间机器人技术的实验验证框架，该框架利用水下环境来近似模拟微重力动力学。虽然中性浮力条件使得水下机器人成为空间机器人验证的绝佳平台，但仍存在需要克服的动力学和环境差异。给定一个以信号时序逻辑规范表达的高层空间任务规范，我们通过任务的最大扰动鲁棒性概念来克服这些差异。我们构建运动规划问题，使得原始空间任务与验证任务达到相同的扰动鲁棒度。随后，验证平台执行其任务计划，采用与空间任务近乎相同的控制策略，其中闭环控制器考虑了航天器动力学。评估我们的验证框架依赖于在执行期间估计扰动，并将其与扰动鲁棒度进行比较，从而为空间环境中的操作提供实际证据。我们的评估采用双实验设置：一个水下机器人在接近中性浮力的条件下运行，以验证实验性平面航天器平台或高保真空间动力学模拟器中CubeSat的规划与控制策略。