Robot Cooperation in Space

Cooperation of multiple space assets is an increasingly interesting topic for the space agencies. This book reviews the literature related to multi-robot research with a focus on space applications. It examines definitions in the field of multi-robot systems and gives an overview of space applications with multiple assets cooperating. It then presents two algorithmic implementations, a simple vector-based and an AI (machine learning) approach, of multi-robot formation control for the area coverage problem. It uses a space exploration scenario, with a marsupial robot society, for tasks like mapping, habitat construction, etc. The solutions are though applicable to a wider range of applications, since area coverage is seen as one of the canonical problems in multi-robot application.