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Methods for Improving Long-Range Wireless Communication Between Extreme Terrain VehiclesAxel is an extreme terrain, two-wheeled rover designed to traverse rocky surface and sub-surface landscapes in order to conduct remote science experiments in hard-to-reach locations. The rover's design meets many requirements for a mobile research platform capable of reaching water seeps on Martian cliff sides. Axel was developed by the Mobility and Robotic Systems section at the Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Unique design criteria associated with extreme terrain mobility led to a unique rover solution, consisting of a central module, which provides long-term energy storage and space for large-scale science payloads, and two detachable Axels that can detach and explore extreme terrain locations that are inaccessible to conventional rovers. The envisioned mission could involve a four-wheeled configuration of Axel called 'DuAxel' that is able to traverse the benign, flattened terrain of a landing site and approach the edge of the targeted crater or cave where it would deploy anchoring legs and detach one of the Axel rovers [1]. A tether provides a secure link between the Axel rover and the central module, acting as an anchor to allow Axel to descend along steep crater walls to collect data from the scientifically relevant sites along the water seeps or crater ledges. After completing its scientific mission Axel would hoist itself up to the central module and dock autonomously (using its on-board stereo cameras), allowing the once-again recombined DuAxel to travel to another location to repeat data collection.
Document ID
20150005574
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Other
External Source(s)
Authors
Johnson, Paul
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Zarzhitsky, Dimitri
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
April 13, 2015
Publication Date
August 9, 2012
Subject Category
Space Communications, Spacecraft Communications, Command And Tracking
Ground Support Systems And Facilities (Space)
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
wireless communication
extreme terrain mobility
distributed robotics

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