As ISRO prepares for the landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission on the surface of the Moon with a lander and rover, Nasa is set to launch a trio of miniature rovers to the Moon in 2024 as part of its robotic exploration project.
This mission aims to demonstrate how robots can operate autonomously and cooperate with each other without direct human intervention, potentially enhancing the efficiency of future space missions.
These three rovers, each about the size of a carry-on suitcase, will be deploy onto the Reiner Gamma region of the Moon.
They will spend approximately 14 Earth days conducting experiments design to test their capabilities.
Subha Comandur, the CADRE project manager at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, explain that the mission’s goal is to demonstrate that a network of mobile robots can work together to accomplish a task autonomously.
This could revolutionize how we approach exploration in the future, raising questions about the number of rovers to send and their collective roles.
These rovers will receive broad directives from mission controllers on Earth via a base station aboard the lander.
They will then elect a “leader” who will distribute work assignments to achieve the collective goal.
Each rover will determine the safest and most efficient way to complete its assigned task.
The rovers will undergo many tests, including driving in formation while maintaining their relative positions and avoiding obstacles.
They will also independently explore a designate area, creating a topographic 3D map with stereo cameras.
This project will assess how well the team adapts if a rover stops working, indicating the viability of multirobot missions for exploring hazardous but scientifically rewarding terrain.
These rovers will carry multistatic ground-penetrating radars.
By driving in formation and receiving the reflection of radio signals sent by the others, they will create a 3D image of the subsurface structure up to 33 feet below, gathering more comprehensive data than current state-of-the-art ground-penetrating radars.
So, the rovers face the challenge of surviving the harsh thermal environment near the Moon’s equator.
With midday temperatures reaching up to 237 degrees Fahrenheit, the rovers, made from a combination of commercial off-the-shelf parts and custom-built components, must be robust enough to withstand the heat while being compact and lightweight.
To prevent overheating, the team has devise a solution involving 30-minute wake-sleep cycles, allowing the rovers to cool off and recharge their batteries before resuming their lunar exploration.
