Flying, Hopping and Perching Microbots for ExtremeFlying, Hopping and Perching Microbots for ExtremeEnvironment Exploration Deployed Using CubeSatsEnvironment Exploration Deployed Using CubeSats

Jekan ThangaJekan Thanga11, Jim Bell, Jim Bell11Space and Terrestrial Robotic Exploration LaboratorySpace and Terrestrial Robotic Exploration Laboratory

School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE)School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE)

Arizona State UniversityArizona State University

Introduction How to utilize extra volume and mass on

Mars 2020 rover or Skycrane to deploy ball robots

Able to perform extreme environment exploration, navigate down cliff, ridges too risky for Mars 2020 rover

Enable observation, science data gathering from multiple nearby locations at once – good for tracking Aeolian processes.

Act as additional “lookout” eyes for the rover, extending and complementing the rover’s capability

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Size Comparison

Motivation Mars 2020 will not be able to

navigate very rugged environments, particularly cliffs or steep slopes

These slopes may expose geologic time capsules going back a billion years or more.

Need to get right close to these sites to get better view

Can’t be obtained by orbital imagery or rover zoom capabilities

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Mission Objectives Primary: Obtain 30-50 sub mm/pixel

resolutions images or higher of cliffs walls, crater walls or ridges

Secondary: Demonstrate networking between the ball robots and the Mars 2020 rover to facilitate navigation and monitoring of multiple sites at once

Tertiary: Demonstrate look-out capability by having ball robots achieve 10+ m height and obtain 3-5 panoramic views

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System Concept

System Concept

Skycrane Deployment

MSL Deployment

(1) Clean Separation. Nichrome wire is melted to release trap door mechanism that drop one ball robot at a time (2) Deploy. Cold gas thruster provides 1 minute hover flight at a time or up to several km hopping distance.

(4) Science. –Gets near cliff or ridge and takes close up photos. Takes flight video and panaromas at cliff edge.(5) Navigation. – Rise above rover, provide panoramic views to assist in rover navigation and decision of where to go next.

Concept of Operations

Integrating the system into the small size All components technologies except for recharging

using ambient CO2 are mature – have been shown in LEO. It is the integration that is unique.

System very flexible. Can work even if long duration hover performance can’t be achieved.

Still, high res images possible even while hopping Regenerative hopping very promising, needs

laboratory test to demo capability Option: Capture of CO2 for cold gas propulsion in

theory feasible, requires more in depth studies.

Challenges and Strengths

Space flight heritage for all major components Unique integration and operation of

components Power from LiSoCl2 – Mars Pathfinder heritage.

100 Whr total energy from battery Cold gas propulsion could be recharged using

Mars CO2

Regenerative hopping allows capturing hopping kinetic using spring – gives km range

Feasibility

Space flight heritage for all components except CO2 capture.

Doesn’t require hopping or precise attitude control.

Cold-gas propulsion Operation at low velocities.

Minimizing Risk

1) Detailed design and development of an engineering prototype

Construction and testing of concept in the laboratory

Testing hopping, hovering and perching performance

Testing in the field 2) Representative demonstration

Required Next Steps

Proposed an innovative 3U CubeSat system for deploy ball robots that can hover, hop and perch

Complement and extends capabilities of the Mars 2020 rover, while remaining untethered

Would take high resolution close up images of slopes and cliff not accessible by the rover.

Demonstrate technology for network multiple system close by on the surface of Mars.

Conclusions

Thank You

Questions ?