November 25, 2009
NASA Robots Practiced In The Arctic Circle for Future Moon Survey
NASA have designed robots that will conduct future surveys on the moon's surface. But before that happens, these robots, like the humans, must practice actual survey first on the earth's craters to evaluate its capabilities and endurance in extreme environments.
K10 Black and K10 Red, are the specialized robots that carry 3D laser scanners and deep-penetrating radars and navigate using the GPS, stereo cameras and sun trackers. The goal is to perform practice survey on the Haughton Crater which is geographically similar to Shackleton Crater at the South Pole of the moon. Both are impact craters that measure roughly 12.4 miles in diameter.
According to S. Pete Worden, director of NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, where the project is based, "Studying how humans and robots can maximize scientific returns in sites such as Devon Island will prepare us to walk on the moon and Mars."
K10 Red Lunar Robot
On 2020, NASA plans to send astronauts back to the moon but before that is accomplished, the team consisting of scientists and robots must first conduct detailed surveys at a variety of locations to produce maps, look for minerals and water, and learn other details.
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Written by: John
Filed Under: Robotics
Tags: Ames Research Center, Arctic Circle, Devon Island, Extreme Environments, Haughton Crater, Impact Craters, Laser Scanners, Moffett Field California, Moon And Mars, Nasa, Nasa Ames Research, Nasa Ames Research Center, Nasa Plans, Nasa Robots, Penetrating Radars, Pete Worden, Practice Survey, South Pole, Stereo Cameras, Sun Trackers
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