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Completed TRL 2 (started at 2, targeting 3)
The current state-of-the-art planetary rover technology, such as Mars 2020 and Curiosity, are limited in their ability to both access extreme terrain and create high-force environmental interaction. To overcome these limitations, we will develop a team of small, agile jumping, and self-anchoring robots will both be able to move over obstacles and through challenging terrain as well as apply significant forces to the environment. The small robots will be capable of jumping unprecedented heights and distances, enabling them to access extreme terrain. Further, each will be capable of “growing” root-like structures into the soil such that each will be able to create reaction forces one or more orders of magnitude larger than its weight, and when working in a coordinated team, will be able to perform high-force environmental interaction. The proposed concept will lead to substantial system-level advantages. The robot team will be: (i) small, light and inexpensive, due to anchoring and load-sharing to generate reaction forces even in low gravity environments; (ii) operationally simple, due to simple robot design; and (iii) redundant with increased system reliability due to multiple robot team members.
This project will enable robots capable of high mobility to traverse extreme terrain, and high force environmental interactions to move heavy objects. Additionally, this research will advance space science and exploration including mobility enhancements that open access to new locations, burrowing capabilities for sampling of subsurface soils, and force-application enabling tasks that involve heavy objects. The fundamental knowledge created during this work will enable future space applications that involve jumping, anchoring/burrowing, and load sharing.
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