Spacecraft/Rover Hybrids for the Exploration of Small Solar System BodiesThis study investigated a novel mission architecture for the systematic and affordable in-situ exploration of small Solar System bodies. Specifically, a mother spacecraft would deploy over the surface of a small body one, or several, spacecraft/rover hybrids, which are small, multi-faceted enclosed robots with internal actuation and external spikes. They would be capable of 1) long excursions (by hopping), 2) short traverses to specific locations (through a sequence of controlled tumbles), and 3) high-altitude, attitude-controlled ballistic flight (akin to spacecraft flight). Their control would rely on synergistic operations with the mother spacecraft (where most of hybrids' perception and localization functionalities would be hosted), which would make the platforms minimalistic and, in turn, the entire mission architecture affordable.
Document ID
20160009292
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Other
Authors
Pavone, Marco (Stanford Univ. Stanford, CA, United States)
Castillo-Rogez, Julie C. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Hoffman, Jeffrey A. (Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Nesnas, Issa A. D. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
July 21, 2016
Publication Date
September 30, 2012
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And ExplorationCybernetics, Artificial Intelligence And Robotics