RACS2 (RACS for ROS2) released!

[yuyuqq]

Our team at Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has prototyped "RACS2[1]," which connects ROS2 with Core Flight System (cFS)[2].

1. RACS2 extended DDS: connecting ROS2 and cFS via DDS layer
   https://github.com/jaxa/racs2_extended-dds

2. The ROS2/cFE bridge: bridging topics bw. ROS2 and cFS in the application layer
   https://github.com/jaxa/racs2_bridge

SpaceROS (pure ROS2) will be ideal for space robotics projects. And, since many spacecrafts are built by cFS, RACS2 (ROS2 on robot + cFS on ordinal spacecraft) would be a realistic choice. RACS2 should be a good option of SpaceROS.

Although it is too late to use RACS2/ROS2 in our ongoing space robotic project, we are planning to test RACS2/ROS2 on Int-ball2 (a successor mission of Int-Ball) in International Space Station (ISS) in 2024.

[1] Hiroki Kato (JAXA) and Tatsuhiko Saito (Systems Engineering Consultants (SEC)). "RACS2: the ROS2 and cFS System, launched" Flight Software Workshop 2023 in March 2023 (Presentation here)

[ivanperez-keera]

@yuyuqq We have work that integrates with ROS 2 and Space ROS to do monitoring. We can do it live on the vehicle, for debugging in Gazebo, and for testing too. Could a system like that be of use to you? Is this something that we could perhaps collaborate on? (notice: I'm a NASA contractor so this may have to go through channels. Also, I don't represent the government or anyone. It's just my informal way of saying: what we do connects; can we explore that connection?)

For background: I'm working on a project for which the connection between cFS and ROS is key, so your work is definitely of interest.

EDIT: I've been told I'm ok to reach out and discuss directly.

[yuyuqq]

@ivanperez-keera Thank you for contacting us. We've been exploring Space ROS and its demos, which are definitely of interest to the community.

I learned that there will be a technical meeting on January 25th. Could you please send me an invitation?
https://github.com/space-ros/space-ros/Discussions/126

Tatsuhiko Saito (SEC) and I (Hiroki Kato, JAXA) will be attending this. I would like to find a way to contribute.

[ivanperez-keera]

Thanks! I can send you the invite.

Just note that we are nearing a release in a few days and we probably will be very focused on that during the meeting.

I'd recommend that you come to the meeting after that (3 weeks from now).

In addition to that, I'm working with NASA JSC on a project that would also benefit from using your cFS / ROS bridge. Happy to also meet you separately (but that should not preclude you from attending the Space ROS meetings). I was told that, from NASA's end, it's ok that we have a call to discuss possible collaborations.

[yuyuqq]

@ivanperez-keera I found you in LinkedIn and left message. Why not communicate futher in email as I left my address there. Thank you!

[ivanperez-keera]

@yuyuqq Sounds good. Let's do that! I'll follow up by email.

Thanks!