People

Personal Page Publications

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive
M/S 107

Pasadena, CA 91101

Phone:

818-354-6193

Fax:

818-354-8172

Member of:

347A - Embedded Robotic Systems

John Koehler

Member of Technical Staff

Biography

John Koehler is a Engineering Development Technician IV in JPLs ROBOTIC ACTUATION & SENSING Group.He performs complex and diverse job functions relating to the design, fabrication, assembly, and test of prototype electromechanical systems and ground support equipment. Conducts and document activities on a variety of technical tasks such as assembly, disassembly, fabrication, test, calibration, repair and modification of electronic, mechanical, chemical, optical and electromechanical systems, circuitry, cabling and components, ground support equipment, specialized test equipment, maintenance and certification of laboratory facilities and equipment.

Education

NASA /JPL Certification Training:
Present: September 2024
Soldered Electrical Connections NASA STD 8739
Connector Mate & Demate
Electrostatic Discharge - ESD Control
Clean room Fundamentals & Practices for Contamination Control
JPL Critical Item (JCI) Handling
1980-1984: John Muir High School

Professional Experience

DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) RoboSimian - Performed the fabrication, assembly, and test of actuated mechanisms, computer and electronic assemblies for the humanoid robotic system that competed in the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC).
Lander Vision System (LVS) – Performed fabrication, assembly, and test of computer, electronic, and power assemblies for the Mars 2020 technology infusion.
Sikorsky Gimbal System (PSAH) – Performed fabrication, assembly, and test of computer electronic and power assemblies for the Sikorsky terrain detection and mapping system.
Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Capture Bag Testbed – Performed fabrication, assembly, and test of the electronic cable harness for testbed development
MSL Drill Characterization Testbeds – Performed fabrication, assembly, test, and calibration of 5 percussion characterization assemblies and associated cabling. Supported installation and ETL qualification of multiple testbeds including: QMDT (Qualification Model Dirty Testbed), Baby Q (second installation of QMDT), CMTB (Challenge Material Testbed), and Percussion Mechanism Assembly life/failure testbed.
Moonrise Testbed – Supported the construction and electronic wiring of the Moonrise Spacecraft testbed used for the NASA New Frontiers Site Visit.
MSL Actuator Electronic Ground Support Equipment (AEGSE) – Performed fabrication, assembly, and hardware qualification of 42 integrated motor controller assemblies, 2 percussion controller assemblies, and 15 mechanism control racks. Provided on-going maintenance and technical support via AIDS and other QA-witnessed activity reports.
MSL Curiosity Rover/CheMin Instrument –Performed fabrication, assembly, and test of piezo electronic assemblies.
All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extraterrestrial Explorer (ATHLETE) Robotic Platform – Performed electronics and mechanical assembly and cable fabrication.
MaRSPlus Sensor System (MSS) – Performed fabrication, assembly, and test of four MSS airborne spectrometer systems to the sponsor within budget and a tight schedule.
Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) – Performed fabrication, assembly, and test of cameras and electronics.
Space Interferometer Mission (SIM) - Performed lab set-up, and fabrication, assembly, and test of electronic cable harnessing.
Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Planetary Cameras 1 and 2 – Performed fabrication, assembly, and test of characterization of flight CCD optical detectors.
Soft X-Ray Telescope - Performed fabrication, assembly, and test of electronic assemblies.
Galileo – Performed fabrication, assembly, and test of characterization of flight CCD optical detectors.

Awards

Voyager

John's expertise in connectors and harnessing makes him the go to technician in 347 for this work. He gets cables built to spec, delivers on time, and connects well with customers, from flight projects down to small R&TD tasks.

NASA Honor

For the design, build and test of the Instrument Deployment System for the InSight project.
For development and flight demonstration of new technologies that provide NASA with breakthrough precision-landing capabilities for future missions.
For successfully demonstrating real-time terrain relative navigation and fuel-optimal trajectory planning on Masten's Xombie rocket vehicle.
For outstanding performance in design and implementation of a gimbaled LIDAR Perception System for Autonomous Helicopters.
For exceptional achievement defining CheMin's scientific goals and requirements, developing the instrument and investigation.
For exceptional performance in the design, development, fabrication, test, and operation of the Mars Science Laboratory Guidance, Navigation and Control.

Team Award

There were at least 20 M2020 testbeds (for I&T, V&V and ATLO) that relied on the BBx EGSE for motor control and C&DH. BBx greatly enhanced efficiency, decreased development time, and standardized parts and interfaces across the testbeds. The BBx was integral to the risk reduction, reliability and success of the M2020 mission, and they are now in demand for MSR (SRL, CCRS), Europa Lander testbeds, and other R&D tasks.
Successful major review and delivery of DM and FM hardware.
For successful delivery of the VCE GSE from JPL and VCE EDU from TESAT and demonstrating successful design transfer and manufacturing.
For extraordinary dedication and technical contributions on the Mars Helicopter.
For successful technology maturation in several areas, including perception for autonomous navigation, object manipulation and quadruped mobility.
For the successful development and demonstration of the LLAMA dynamic quadruped robot under the Army Robotics Collaborative Technology Alliance program.
For providing excellent technical supports and consultation in the development of COBALT payload leading to the successful Open-Loop Test Campaign.
The team demonstrated autonomous robotic assembly of six truss modules, as could be used for in-space assembly of telescopes.
SP1 Smart Pipe Hardware Assembly Presentation to Chevron 11 Dec 2015.
The RoboSimian team successfully participated in the DARPA Robotics Challenge, placing 5th out of an international field of 25 competitors.
The Lander Vision System is a new sensor technology to land on a surface relative to a stored terrain map.

Publications

2018

S. Karumanchi, K. Edelberg, J. Nash, C. Bergh, R. Smith, B. Emanuel, J. Carlton, J.Koehler, J.Kim, R. Mukherjee, B. Kennedy, P. Backes, "Payload-Centric Autonomy for In-Space Robotic Assembly of Modular Space Structures," Journal of Field Robotics, vol 35, issue 6, pp. 1005-1021, 14 June 2018.

2016

S. Karumanchi, K. Edelberg, I. Baldwin, J. Nash, J. Reid, C. Bergh, J. Leichty, K. Carpenter, M. Shekels, M. Gildner, D. Newill-Smith, J. Carlton, J. Koehler, T. Dobreva, M. Frost, P. Hebert, J, Borders, J. Ma, B. Douillard, P. Backes, B. Kennedy, B. Satzinger, C. Lau, K. Byl, K. Shankar, J. Burdick, "Team RoboSimian: Semi-autonomous Mobile Manipulation at the 2015 DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals," Journal of Field Robotics: Special Issue on the 2015 DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals, vol 34, issue 2, pp. 305-332, 18 October 2016.