Capability 9.1 Exploration

The exploration challenge are: To build an efficient, cost effective exploration infrastructure, To coordinate exploration robots & crews from multiple. earth sites to accomplish science and exploration objectives. and To maximize self-sufficiency of the lunar/planetary exploration team

Slope Traversal Experiments with Slip Compensation Control for Lunar/Planetary Exploration Rover

2008 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Pasadena, CA, USA, May 19-23, 200

Paper Session III-A - STS Derivative Cargo Vehicles for the 1990\u27s Decade and Beyond

Currently planned U.S. civil space activities for the late 1990\u27s into the early 2000 time period will require the development of a new earth-to-orbit unmanned cargo vehicle(s). This system will be designed to support an aggressive space activity, including Space Station Freedom and eventually lunar/planetary exploration programs. Primary mission needs include increased cargo weight and volume capability and lower operating costs. A mid-90\u27s unmannedcargo vehicle (Shuttle C), which utilizes existing space-qualified STS booster elements, is currently being designed for delivery of 100K-150K Ibs to low earth orbit. Variations of this design plus other concepts that offer very large lift capability of 200K-300K Ibs, still utilizing STS booster elements, will be discussed. An evolutionary pathway, based on STS booster elements, is practical for providing heavy lift capabilities of 100K-300K Ibs

Slope traversal experiments with slip compensation control for lunar/planetary exploration rover

Abstract-This paper presents slope traversal experiments with slip compensation control for lunar/planetary exploration rovers. On loose soil, wheels of the rover easily slip even when the rover travels with relatively low velocity. Because of the slip, following an arbitrary path on loose soil becomes a difficult task for the rover, and also, the slip will increase when the rover traverses a slope. To cope with the slip issue, the authors previously proposed path following control strategy taking wheel slippages into account. Through numerical simulations in the previous work, it has been confirmed that the proposed control effectively compensates and reduces the slip motions of the rover, and then, the rover can follow a given path. In order to confirm the usefulness of the proposed control for practical application, slope traversal experiments using a fourwheeled rover test bed are addressed in this paper. The control performance of the slip compensation is compared to that of no slip control based on motion traces of the rover in side slope traversal case. Further, the effectiveness of the proposed control is verified by quantitative evaluations of distance and orientation errors

Finally! Insights into the ARCHES Lunar Planetary Exploration Analogue Campaign on Etna in summer 2022

This paper summarises the first outcomes of the space demonstration mission of the ARCHES project which could have been performed this year from 13 june until 10 july on Italy’s Mt. Etna in Sicily. After the second postponement related to COVID from the initially for 2020 planed campaign, we are now very happy to report, that the whole campaign with more than 65 participants for four weeks has been successfully conduced. In this short overview paper, we will refer to all other publication here on IAC22. This paper includes an overview of the performed 4-week campaign and the achieved mission goals and first results but also share our findings on the organisational and planning aspects

3D Printed Stress Sensors for NonDestructive Evaluation of Space Structures

Self-sufficient and non-contact sensors play multiple roles in lunar, planetary exploration, and Earth structures. These sensors allow engineers to accurately examine structural integrity and defects on mechanical components for optimal operations. Structural integrity allows the industry to ensure the safety and capacity of key structures. Materials like α-alumina can be employed as sensors due to the photoluminescent properties that they possess. Piezospectroscopy is a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) method capable of capturing in-situ stress using α-alumina due to the chromium ion impurities that it contains. The chromium ion impurities carry spectral characteristics, that when excited with an Nd: YAG laser (532 nm), demonstrate capabilities for structural integrity monitoring. In this work, a 3D printing method is developed to autonomously create sensors that are compatible with use in space environments. The 3D printing method intends to provide the industry flexible and adaptive solutions for structural integrity monitoring. This method includes a modified Fused Deposition Method printer by exchanging its original nozzle with a syringe base nozzle. The printing parameters such as printing speed, printing bed temperature, coating thickness, and syringe volume are determined during the testing process. Challenges include achieving uniform integration and nanoparticle dispersion as well as adhesion between the matrix and the substrates. The parameters to encounter these challenges will depend on the materials used. Experiments with three different volume fractions (VF) of α-alumina within an epoxy were performed to address the printing challenges. The sensors were applied to nine specimens, three of each VF but with varying deposition rates after the mixture process. These experiments considered the mixing and deposition method while testing the dispersion within the α-alumina and the epoxy matrix. The substrates, on which the epoxy matrix was deposited, underwent a surface treatment to ensure adhesion between the substrate and the sensor matrix. During this experiment, the epoxy matrix was deposited with a syringe onto a substrate and cured at room temperature. The specimens were tested with a tensile load using an electromechanical MTS. While the samples are tensile loaded, the sensors were characterized via photoluminescent piezo spectroscopy to determine which VF demonstrates the best stress sensing capabilities, along with the adhesion between the matrix and the substrate. The data collected allows the optimal VF to be established for future applications

A study of pressure-sinkage relationship used in a tyre-terrain interaction

The vehicle applies a normal load to the terrain, which causes sinkage and motion resistance. To forecast the normal pressure distribution on the interface of a vehicle–terrain and the tractive performance of a vehicle, the response of the terrain to normal load (which is characterized by pressure–sinkage relationship equations) must be measured. This paper presents the common conventional pressure sinkage models used in terramechanic and the modification that happened to this models. In addition the features of the new models