Institute ofSpace Systems
•Proposal of a pico-class robotic platform primarily intended for future lunar exploration
•Inspired by Cubesat standard•Affordable and easy to manufacture design •Allows universities to develop and perform own rover-based missions
Possible Fields of Research
PicoBot Platform
•Design Objective: To offer university students a simple robotic template•Minimizing the development time to two years•Utilizing the alternating tripod gait
• Adapted from simple insects like the cockroach• Locomotion can be realized with only two actuators. • Comparison to typical rovers design:
Lower number in ‘degrees of freedom‘ Higher demand for a simple environment.
• Main advantageMinimizes the complexity of the control-algorithm Reduces the mass as well as the cost
PicoBots – A Small-Sized Exploration Rover Standard for Universities
DLR’s role
•Offer experience from REXUS/BEXUS•Act as mediator between students and
organizations or space agencies with Lunar Lander programs
•Scientific and payload support•General project assistance
Planning/Organization Educational courses and training
Google Lunar X Prize
SELENE-2
Luna-Glob 2
Chang’e 3
Luna-Grunt 1
Luna-Grunt 2
ILN Node 1 & 2 ILN Node 3 & 4
ESA Lunar Lander
2012
2017
Still to be done
•Adapt the UC Berkley designed robots to space/Lunar environment
•Selection of Rapid Prototyp-able, space-qualified base material
•Storage box for single and multiple PicoBots
•Separation/Release mechanism
Future Piggyback Opportunities
Relative Positioning
Communication Relaying
Distributed Systems
Swarm Intelligence
GeologyAnalysisAndShaping
Present
Future
MEMS
Seismology
Gravimetry
Radiometry
Design by:
UC Berkley
Design by:
UC Berkley