Robotic Assistance, Mobility & Vision Systems – Enabling Technology for Early Human-Robotic Lunar Exploration
- Paper number
IAC-07-A5.2.03
- Author
Dr. Nadeem Ghafoor, MDA, Canada
- Coauthor
Mr. Eric Choi, MDA, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Tim Barfoot, MDA, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Joseph Bekambu, MDA, Canada
- Coauthor
Ms. Gita Ravindran, MDA, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Christian Sallaberger, MDA, Canada
- Coauthor
Dr. Robert Richards, Canada
- Coauthor
Mr. Erick Dupuis, Canadian Space Agency, Canada
- Year
2007
- Abstract
The 21st Century space exploration frontier is markedly different from its predecessor. Whereas human and robotic exploration over the past 50 years featured exploration and development of the earth-orbit environment, single-shot robotic missions to the major solar system bodies, and short-duration human sorties to the lunar equatorial region, exploration in the 21st century will be increasingly surface-based, human-robotic collaborative, extended-duration in nature and targeted at more challenging regions of lunar and planetary surfaces. This paper focuses on the early phase of human-robotic lunar exploration, namely (i) in-situ characterisation and site survey for lunar science, prospecting and reconnaissance in advance of human sorties and EVA, (ii) in-situ human sortie field assistance and (iii) transport of surface samples, astronaut equipment and potentially small-scale infrastructure. Two areas of technology development are examined which support these early phases: mobile surface platform design and advanced vision systems, both for autonomous navigation as well as situational awareness. For surface mobility, MDA technology development is focused in three main areas: (i) rapid design, simulation and performance prediction of platform chassis and locomotion, (ii) construction of prototype chassis systems and their testing in the field, and (iii) development of autonomous navigation systems for vehicle localisation, visual motion estimation and short and long range path planning. An overview is given of recent activities, including the development of a full-scale prototype chassis in preparation for ESA’s ExoMars mission, and field tests of camera and lidar-based rover navigation technologies conducted in partnership with Optech, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency. In the area of vision systems, in addition to platform navigation, scene modeling for science, advance prospecting and site survey is discussed. The ability to instantly generate in situ photo-realistic 3-D models without requiring continuous transmission back to earth for post-processing, enables rapid reconnaissance of the immediate locale for advance identification of sites with highest science, resource and mission operations potential in advance of human EVA. Systems at MDA and Optech are already deployed in terrestrial sectors such as mining, survey and security, and technology developments span both camera and laser-based regimes. The merits of both technologies are discussed, along with their applicability to the lunar environment, and both rover mounted and human handheld scenarios are explored. Finally discussion is given to representative field trials of the technology in analogue investigations, also in partnership with Optech and the Canadian Space Agency.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-07-A5.2.03.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.