So you want to mine the moon?B. Damer, D. Rasmussen, P. Newman, R.

NorkusDigitalSpace Corporation, Santa Cruz CA

CAD/CAM design simulation for sandbox prototyping

Colorado School of MinesPrototype Lunar Bucket Wheel

Excavator

CAD/CAM design simulation for sandbox prototyping

DigitalSpace Lunar analog simulation of

BWE

• Crater Rim (Sunlight Area) Exploration– Imaging of site from surface—time data

collection to correlate with LRO orbital images of same conditions (pan every 2 hours over 1 year)

– Geotechnical properties of lunar regolith (bearing strength, soil composition, cohesiveness, block and slope populations)

– Biological effects of radiation, reduced gravity over 1 year

• Crater Floor (Dark Area) Exploration– Physical environment and geotechnical

properties (temperatures, soil characteristics, etc.)

– Examine both surface and subsurface of cold trap region

– Volatile deposits: elemental and molecular composition, species abundance, physical state, distribution and extent; number of samples from varied locations in crater floor; locations and settings documented

– Requires extended time (at least 2 weeks) and traverse range (at least 100 km) within dark crater interior (cold trap)

Find the Light

Touch the Ice

RLEP 2 – Robotic Lunar Exploration ProgramGoals

RLEP2 Pre-Phase A

RLEP2 Pre-Phase A:November:

APL PresentationsHuntsville Kick-off

TeamX, JPL: Dec 12-15th

RLEP2 Pre-Phase A mission design challengeLunar south pole: Cold traps in permanently shadowed craters. 12-

20 samples at 1-2m depth, test for volatiles, water ice.

Nominal Target: Shackleton19 km complex impact craterSteep interior slopes 25-35°Interior walls loose materialRough floorEratosthenian ageIce distribution may be heterogenous

Dawes Crater

Lunar Analog to ShackletonElevation map producedby measurements team

Direct versus “spiral” traverse into the crater

Digital Spaces Platform ArchitectureAcknowledgements and Resources

Industrial strength vertical applications in robotics, space, mining/construction, training, outreach/educationHigh performance 3D graphics, cross platformPhysics, CAD, collaborative and synchronized simulationMulti-user, streams, research & outreach functions“Linux” of 3D, LGPL licensed for commercial applications

DSS Open Source Framework

DigitalSpace DSS

Modular Plug-in

Architecture

Thanks!

DigitalSpace: www.digitalspace.comProject homepage/download the sims: www.digitalspace.com/projects/lunar-robotics/Digital Spaces Codebase: www.digitalspaces.org

Contact: Bruce Damer, President and CEObdamer@digitalspace.com(831) 338 9400, mobile: (831) 331 5812

Resources and contact