Robotic rover could support astronauts on moonwalks

Robotic companions are a mainstay of sci-fi collection in all places. From R2D2 to Johnny 5, these characters sometimes have a supporting function within the story and are useful to their human companions. However what in the event that they had been integral to the people within the story? A lot in order that they could not stay with out their robotic compatriots?

That is the concept behind Biobot, which was given a NIAC grant in 2018—why not use a robotic companion to hold supporting tools on human extravehicular actions (EVAs) on different planets?

For those who watch the footage from the Apollo missions, you possibly can see how awkward it’s for the astronauts to bend over to select issues up. Additionally, these terribly naturally match and gifted folks appear to fall over an terrible lot, given how coordinated they’re on Earth. That is in all probability due to a 61 kg pack on their again that’s serving to to maintain them alive.

Every moonwalker needed to carry a life assist system on their swimsuit to take care of situations contained in the swimsuit that allowed them to breathe and never cook dinner to dying. This moveable life assist system (PLSS) weighed virtually as a lot because the astronauts. It dramatically modified their heart of gravity from its typical internalized location to someplace behind their shoulder blades. That restricted the astronaut’s mobility and, even with the sunshine lunar gravity, restricted the time they might take part in an EVA earlier than turning into exhausted.

Alternatively, in microgravity, EVAs have taken place utilizing umbilical cords and a bigger life assist system contained in the space station or shuttle. This has confirmed profitable, however managing the umbilical cords requires a major quantity of overhead—sometimes, one other astronaut manages it for the individual doing the EVA. Given the significance of productively using all of an astronaut’s time, it will be higher to not require that serving to hand.

Dr. David Akin of the College of Maryland’s Division of Aerospace Engineering thought of all that, and his resolution is Biobot. The ultimate design is a small rover able to following an astronaut round on an EVA and attaching to their swimsuit through an umbilical wire that the rover manages. As a part of the NIAC grant Dr. Akin acquired, he and his crew checked out potential design trade-offs in addition to developed a working prototype of the system.

First, let’s focus on some benefits. Biobot removes the heavy weight from the astronaut’s again, releasing them from carrying it round and shifting their heart of gravity again to a extra acquainted place. It may additionally enable PLSS designers so as to add elements that will in any other case be thought of unsuitable for becoming right into a backpack itself, resembling radiative cooling methods.

It may additionally function a platform for holding collected samples or instruments mandatory for the mission. It may even let the astronaut trip on it in a pinch as a final resort in emergencies. Since it’s cellular, the umbilical wire that will sometimes tie the astronaut to a base station is now not a problem, and since it’s designed to traverse any terrain an astronaut can, it ought to be able to maintaining with them.

From a number of the footage within the NIAC last report, it seems the engineers engaged on the venture had enjoyable growing the system. They efficiently confirmed a proof-of-concept of the essential performance of what they anticipated the Biobot to do. In addition they plan to proceed growing it, together with a check phase at NASA’s “Rockyard” planetary floor simulator.

Nevertheless, no extra NASA funding has been forthcoming. Although the paper mentions volunteer pupil assist, it appears the Biobot thought is on maintain for now. However sometime, astronauts exploring the lunar or Martian floor might need a robotic companion with them that may present each comedian aid and life-giving assist.