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Ames Research Center
Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations Terry FongIntelligent Robotics [email protected] irg.arc.nasa.
gov
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2Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Notional Lunar Campaign
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3Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
First Three Years3650 total days
(robot on surface)
1140 days(robots on surface)
1140 days(robots on surface)
87 days(crew on surface)
87 days(crew on surface)
During the first three years, crew is on the surface
8% of the time
During the first three years, crew is on the surface
8% of the time
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4Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Lunar Surface Robotics
Un-crewed Missions• Characterize environment• Prepare for crew• Build infrastructure
Short-stay Missions• EVA support: expand range
and capability of sorties• Off-load repetitive and time
consuming tasks
Outpost Missions• Routine tasks: maintenance,
ops support, survey, etc.• Heavy duty: large payload
transport, construction, etc.
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5Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
NASA Human-Robotic Systems Project
Research areasSurface mobility
Humans Payloads Utility robots
Handling Cargo Material Payloads
Human-robotinteraction (HRI)
Primary Objectives• Address key technical challenges for lunar surface operations
• Develop requirements & mature surface systems
• Perform trade studies in relevant and analog environments
NASA Centers: ARC, GRC, GSFC, JPL, JSC, KSC, LaRC
2006 Meteor Crater Field Test2006 Meteor Crater Field Test
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6Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Human-Robotic Systems Project
Chariot K10’s Scarab
ATHLETE Centaur
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7Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
HRS Analog Field Testing
Objectives• Test and validate technologies, systems, & procedures
• Conduct integrated simulations
Analogs are never perfect• No place on Earth is exactly like the Moon
• No single site covers all needs
Level of fidelity is key• Every analog offers different levels of fidelity
• Choice of analog depends on what level of fidelity is needed
HRS emphasis = operational + compositional analogs
scale of site
scope of activities
logistically reasonable
flats, slopes & craters
dusty to bouldered
geology
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8Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
2006 Meteor Crater Field Test
3-16 September 2006• Coordinated human-robot operations
• ARC, JSC, JPL, & LaRC
• Co-located with Desert RATS (shared infrastructure)
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9Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
1
2
3
4
5
1 2
4
5
3
Lunar Short Stay Mission Simulation
ATHLETE positions Pressurized Rover Compartment (PRC)
Crew drive unpressurized rover to worksite
Crew dismount and walk to PRC to recharge suits
Centaur removes sample box (time-delayed teleop via satellite from Houston)
K10 performs autonomous “walkaround” (for remote visual inspection)
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10Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Visual Inspection
Rover-based imaging• Autonomous approach &
circumnavigation
• HDR gigapixel panorama
• Crew (IVA or ground) analyzes images for problems
K10 inspection of SCOUTMeteor Crater Field Test, Sept. 2006
M. Bualat et al. 2007. “Autonomous Robotic Inspection for Lunar Surface Operations”, FSR ’07
K10 inspection of SCOUTMeteor Crater Field Test, Sept. 2006
M. Bualat et al. 2007. “Autonomous Robotic Inspection for Lunar Surface Operations”, FSR ’07
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11Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Basic Panorama
Source: 54 images (1,600x1,200) = 99 MpixPanorama: 90º x 40º (12,000x6,000)
Source: 54 images (1,600x1,200) = 99 MpixPanorama: 90º x 40º (12,000x6,000)
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12Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
HDR Panorama
Source: 270 images (1,600x1,200) @ 5 stops = 494 MpixPanorama: 90º x 40º (12,000x6,000)
Source: 270 images (1,600x1,200) @ 5 stops = 494 MpixPanorama: 90º x 40º (12,000x6,000)
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13Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Haughton Crater(Devon Island, Canada)
Haughton Crater(Devon Island, Canada)
2007 Haughton Crater Field Test
10 July – 3 August 2007• Systematic site survey with two K10 robots
3D scanning lidar for topographic mapping Ground-penetrating radar for resource prospecting
• Multiple lunar analog sites at Haughton Crater
• Remote (habitat and ground control) robot operations
K10K10
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14Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Remote Operations
NASAARC
NASAJSC
“Lunar Outpost” “Pressurized Rover”ARCIVA OpsGround Ops
JSC
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15Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
“Drill Hill” Survey
700 m
Survey plan• K10 robot on-site for 3 days
• HMMWV simulates pressurized rover (temporary habitat)
• Resource prospecting: subsurface ground-penetrating radar scans (parallel transects with 50 m spacing)
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16Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
“Drill Hill” Survey
Survey plan(green)
Survey plan(green)
K10 path(black)
K10 path(black)
Survey boundary(blue)
Survey boundary(blue)
Parallel line transects (50 m spacing, E-W, N-S)
20.5 km total traverse
Parallel line transects (50 m spacing, E-W, N-S)
20.5 km total traverse
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17Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
K10 Lidar Survey
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18Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
K10 Lidar Survey
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19Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
3D Terrain Modeling
Valley mapping(1 m polar grid)
Valley mapping(1 m polar grid)
130 m
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20Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
3D Terrain Modeling
HMP base camp(1 m polar grid)
HMP base camp(1 m polar grid)
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21Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
K10 GPR Survey
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22Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
K10 GPR Survey
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23Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
K10 GPR Survey
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24Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
GPR Survey Display
transectlines
transectlines
1x1 metergrid
1x1 metergrid
GPR data(vertical)
GPR data(vertical)
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25Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
2008 Moses Lake Sand Dunes Field Test
1-13 June 2008• Examine early lunar mission tasks (not precursor)
(deploy infrastructure, site surveys, install beacons)
• Multi-robot & coordinated human-robot activities
• Experiment with different ops scenarios(shared & traded control, ground & surface)
Chariot
K10
ATHLETE
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26Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Moses Lake Sand Dunes
• 3,000 acre sand dune site Soft soil with mixed gravel Rolling terrain, varied slopes Lightly vegetated
• Lunar operations analog
• Not lunar science analog
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27Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Moses Lake Sand Dunes
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28Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
K10 Activities
Utility robotics• Systematic science survey: ground penetrating radar
• Robotic recon: “high grade” science targets for traverse planning
• Topographic survey: 3D scanning lidar
• Comm network mapping: predicted vs. actual coverage
• Mobile camera (videographer)
DEM(1m polar grid)
DEM(1m polar grid)
Ground ops(JSC)
Ground ops(JSC) ActualActual
PredictedPredicted
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29Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Function Polar volatiles search
Mode Mapping
Path Systematic coverage
ScienceInstruments
Visible imager(s) Ground-penetrating radarMicroscopic terrain imager
ScienceObjectives
Map subsurface structureIdentify particle distributionAssess site stratigraphyIdentify water table depth
robot
Systematic Site Survey
Local Area Mapping• Maps for engineering, science, & ISRU
• Dense coverage + repetitive measurements(e.g., parallel-line transects)
• Lidar, comm signal, GPR, penetrometer, etc
K10 Black at Moses Lake Sand Dunes
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30Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Function Geologic scouting
Mode Exploration
Path Circuitous
ScienceInstruments
Visible imager(s) on pan/tilt3D scanning lidarMicroscopic terrain imager
ScienceObjectives
Triage sample locationsIdentify particle distributionAssess surface compositionEvaluate depositional history
robot crew
Robotic Recon
Advance science scout• Site & traverse recon before crew activity
(“high grading” by science backroom)
• Increase crew productivity (traverse planning)
• Multi-modal sensing (not just visible imagery)
K10 Red at Moses Lake Sand Dunes
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31Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
EVA Traverse Planning
• Robotic recon identifies & priorities sites of interest
• Plan EVA traverse to maximize utility
• Traverse assessment Suited subjects (limited geology training) Unsuited subject: identify what missed while in suit Field geologist: ground truth
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32Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
Flight Director
Science LiaisonSystems Liaison
Flight Control Team
RobotCmdr
RobotDriver K10 Red PI
Science Operations Team
SystemsLead
Systems Support Team
Hardware Eng.
Robot Ops Team GPR PEL
Imager PEL
MI PEL
Lidar PEL
Power Eng.
Control Eng.
K10 Black PI
MosesLake
JSCB9
JSCB9 Science PI
JSCB9
Telemetry Eng.Data CurationK10
RobotK10
Robot
“RoboCom”
ExecutionSecs to Hours
TacticalMinutes to Hours
StrategicMinutes to Days
Ground Control Structure
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33Field Testing of Utility Robots for Lunar Surface Operations
RobotOperationsTeam
RobotOperationsTeam
FlightControlTeam
FlightControlTeam
ScienceOpsTeam
ScienceOpsTeam
SystemsSupportTeam
SystemsSupportTeam
Key
Functional Flow
Robot
Execution
Tactical
Strategic
Data
Voice
Flight Director
Sci LiaisonSys Liaison
RoboCom
RobotCmdr
RobotDriver
Science PISystems
Lead
K10Robot
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Intelligent Robotics GroupIntelligent Systems Division
NASA Ames Research Center
irg.arc.nasa.gov
Copyright © 2008