JOEEE: Jumping Orientable Extreme Environment Explorer

We propose modifying and augmenting the JOEEE hopping and cartwheeling mobility system with a multi-function tether to enable mobility into and long duration operations within a Lunar PSR. The Jumping Orientable Extreme Environment Explorer (JOEEE) is a novel surface mobility platform that enables mission concepts such as exploring craters, Lunar PSRs, Lunar lava tubes, extreme low gravity bodies (comets and asteroids), and interaction with astronauts (is safe to handle). The unique maneuvering capability provided by internal brake-able flywheels in JOEEE facilitates mobility of imagers, spectrometers, magnetometers, and other instruments over and into terrain inaccessible to wheeled/tracked rovers or rocket propelled hoppers while the low cost/complexity of the system enables single or multi-robot mission concepts. The goals of this follow on Early Stage Innovation project are to mature TRL of JOEEE from numerical simulation to laboratory demonstrations, perform life testing of critical mechanisms, and continue to meet with instrument developers to target PRISM, CLPS, Ignition, Artemis, and DALI.

Modification of JOEEE hopping/cartwheeling mobility system with multi-function tether for Lunar PSR entry and long-duration operations; maturation from numerical simulation to laboratory demonstrations; life testing of critical mechanisms; single and multi-robot mission concept enablement.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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