Tech Tuesday: For the harsh demands of space, these networks heal themselves.

Jekan Thanga, an associate professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Arizona, has developed distributed computer processing networks specifically designed for lunar bases and space stations (see UA23-058 on the TLA Inventions website). The two main advantages of Thanga’s system over the current state-of-the-art are that it is organizational and hyper redundant, which means that a single point of failure will not compromise the entire system.

Distributed computing networks accomplish tasks by having multiple computers work together and share information. Thanga compared his distributed computer processing network to a command center on Star Trek. “But in this case, the computers aren't external pieces,” Thanga said. “They’re integrated into the room as a bunch of regular ceiling tiles.” 

These networks are particularly useful in space stations and lunar bases because they improve efficiency while safeguarding crews and systems from unforeseen complications and catastrophic failures. Thanga tested the system against potential worst-case scenarios, such as an uncontrolled fire at a lunar base. 

“Our claim is that if you can test it under those worst-case scenarios, then it's only going to be better under all other scenarios,” Thanga said. 

The system is also able to self-heal and address extreme space conditions, such as solar flares and high-energy particles. These self-healing systems can autonomously repair software or reorganize resource usage when systems are damaged — especially in situations where humans are not available to manage the fixes.

“We have major concerns about astronauts being on the surface of the moon with current shielding technology,” Thanga said. “The radiation levels are quite high. Given cost and operational factors, a lunar base will likely only have periodic visitation by humans. But otherwise, everything else needs to be filled by robots.”

After earning a Ph.D. in space robotics from the University of Toronto, Thanga completed his postdoctoral training in robotics and energy systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He said he was inspired to pursue aerospace engineering as a child while reading the Time-Life book series on space exploration. “They're maybe more than 30 years old now, but they're still so futuristic,” Thanga said. “They're still very relevant today. Everything from the artwork to the literature.”

Thanga is the head of the SpaceTREx (Space and Terrestrial Robotic Exploration) and ASTEROIDS (Asteroid Science, Technology and Exploration Research Organized by Inclusive eDucation Systems) laboratories at the U of A. Thanga estimates that more than 80 students have gone through SpaceTREx, which tackles cutting edge issues in aerospace. He describes the NASA-supported ASTEROIDS laboratory as the melding of education and research. 

“It’s not, ‘here’s a bunch of classes you do for education, here’s a separate exercise for you to do research,’” Thanga said. “In this program, we actually combined the two to advance the students who make it through the program, but also to be an engine for this entire effort, which includes other professors and institutions that collaborate with us.”

In addition to UA23-058, Thanga has several other inventions that are also available for license. 

• A space traffic management architecture to coordinate space stations and spacecrafts to facilitate clean-up of space debris (UA25-024)
• A reconfigurable space telescope with the capabilities of a Schmidt Cassegrain telescope (UA24-191)
• A small spacecraft and small robot lighting system for navigation, identification and communications (UA24-189).

For more information about these and related technologies available for license, contact Scott Zentack, Licensing Manager for the College of Engineering.