NASA Unveils Game-Changing Augmented Reality in Spacecraft Engineering

NASA technicians at the Goddard Space Flight Center are using advanced AR headsets and other technologies to enhance the assembly process of the Roman Space Telescope. This method allows precise alignment of parts, saving time and reducing costs. The integration of AR, QR codes, and robotics not only streamlines construction but also facilitates remote collaboration and improves accuracy in installations. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, AR technology and robotics are revolutionizing the assembly of the Roman Space Telescope by enhancing precision and efficiency, leading to significant time and cost savings during construction.

Augmented reality tools have helped technicians improve accuracy and save time on fit checks for the Roman Space Telescope being assembled at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
In one instance, manipulating a digital model of Roman’s propulsion system into the real telescope structure revealed the planned design would not fit around existing wiring. The finding helped avoid a need to rebuild any components.
The R&D team at Goddard working on this AR project suggests broader adoption in the future could potentially save weeks of construction time and hundreds of thousands of dollars.