Related papers: Autonomous Multirobot Excavation for Lunar Applica…
This paper reviews improved calibration methods for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector. We cross calibrated the set of LEND observations and models of its detectors physical geometry and composition against…
Solving mobile manipulation tasks in inaccessible and dangerous environments is an important application of robots to support humans. Example domains are construction and maintenance of manned and unmanned stations on the moon and other…
We envision an integrated process for developing lunar construction equipment, where physical design and control are explored in parallel. In this paper, we describe a technical framework that supports this process. It relies on OpenPLX, a…
Mapping and exploration of a Martian terrain with an aerial vehicle has become an emerging research direction, since the successful flight demonstration of the Mars helicopter Ingenuity. Although the autonomy and navigation capability of…
In this paper, we present the development of 4-DOF robot limbs, which we call Moonbots, designed to connect in various configurations with each other and wheel modules, enabling adaptation to different environments and tasks. These modular…
Landmines, specifically anti-tank mines, cluster bombs, and unexploded ordnance form a serious problem in many countries. Several landmine sweeping techniques are used for minesweeping. This paper presents the design and the implementation…
Celestial bodies such as the Moon and Mars are mainly covered by loose, granular soil, a notoriously challenging terrain to traverse with (wheeled) robotic systems. Here, we present experimental work on traversing steep, granular slopes…
In unstructured environments the best path is not always the shortest, but needs to consider various objectives like energy efficiency, risk of failure or scientific outcome. This paper proposes a global planner, based on the A* algorithm,…
Autonomous robots have real-world applications in diverse fields, such as mobile manipulation and environmental exploration, and many such tasks benefit from a hands-off approach in terms of human user involvement over a long task horizon.…
The escalating accumulation of orbital debris threatens the sustainability of space operations, necessitating active removal solutions that overcome the limitations of current fuel-dependent methods. To address this, this study introduces a…
Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (RVD) have been extensively studied in recent years, addressing the stringent requirements of spacecraft dynamics variations and the limitations of GNC systems. This paper presents an innovative approach…
The interest in exploring planetary bodies for scientific investigation and in-situ resource utilization is ever-rising. Yet, many sites of interest are inaccessible to state-of-the-art planetary exploration robots because of the robots'…
We introduce a large-scale robotic system designed as a lightweight, modular, and reconfigurable structure for lunar applications. The system consists of truss-like robotic triangles formed by continuous inflated fabric tubes routed through…
Volcanic gas emissions are key precursors of eruptive activity. Yet, obtaining accurate near-surface measurements remains hazardous and logistically challenging, motivating the need for autonomous solutions. Limited mobility in rough…
As natural access points to the subsurface, lava tubes and other caves have become premier targets of planetary missions for astrobiological analyses. Few existing robotic paradigms, however, are able to explore such challenging…
The exploration of small bodies in the Solar System is a high priority planetary science. Asteroids, comets, and planetary moons yield important information about the evolution of the Solar System. Additionally, they could provide resources…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed robotics, healthcare, industry, and scientific discovery, yet a major frontier may lie beyond Earth. Space exploration and settlement offer vast environments and resources, but impose constraints…
In this report, we try to improve the performance of existing approaches for search operations in multi-robot context. We propose three novel algorithms that are using a triangular grid pattern, i.e., robots certainly go through the…
Assistive free-flyer robots autonomously caring for future crewed outposts -- such as NASA's Astrobee robots on the International Space Station (ISS) -- must be able to detect day-to-day interior changes to track inventory, detect and…
We present a method for solving the coverage problem with the objective of autonomously exploring an unknown environment under mission time constraints. Here, the robot is tasked with planning a path over a horizon such that the accumulated…