Stackup graphic.
February 26, 2009
Stackup graphic. This stack includes the interstages, lander and rover. Height from payload adapter to the tip of the fairing is about 15 feet. From AstroboticBlogPhotos Read More →
Unrolling stackup graphic
February 26, 2009
Unrolling stackup graphic This is the unrolling of a full-scale graphic of the stackup. Height from payload adapter to the tip of the fairing is about 15 feet. Click here to watch in HD Click here to watch in HD Read More →
Astrobotic Technology and Carnegie Mellon Researchers Show Small Robots Can Prepare Lunar Surface for NASA Outpost
February 25, 2009
PITTSBURGH — (Feb. 25, 2009) — Small robots the size of riding mowers could prepare a safe landing site for NASA’s Moon outpost, according to a NASA-sponsored study prepared by Astrobotic Technology Inc. with technical assistance from Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute. Astrobotic Technology and Carnegie Mellon researchers analyzed mission requirements and developed the design for an innovative new type of small lunar robot under contract from NASA’s Lunar Surface Systems group. The results will be presented Friday in Washington, D.C., at a NASA Lunar Surface Systems... [Read more]
Red and The Robots
February 24, 2009
Red Whittaker’s rovers have already gone where no robot has gone before. Will one of them make it to the moon? By Geoffrey Little Air & Space Magazine, January 01, 2009 The scraping of metal wheels on loose rocks and the clicking sounds of mechanical actuators alert me to the lunar rover’s presence before I see it. Turning, I come face to face with the robot as it emerges from a shallow ditch, its two mast-mounted camera “eyes” gazing at the ground, then tilting up to scout a way forward. Less than five feet tall and three feet across, it’s an unassuming ’bot: a truncated pyramid... [Read more]
Interstage Analysis
February 23, 2009
Interstage Analysis This interstage and its injection engine are separated and discarded after the injection burn. From AstroboticBlogPhotos Read More →
Rover Thermal Analysis
February 20, 2009
Rover Thermal Analysis The spherical bumps are thermal analysis nodes. Analyses with finer meshes yield higher fidelity results and consider details like those atop the mast. From AstroboticBlogPhotos Read More →
Solar Array
February 17, 2009
Solar Array This is a graph showing the calculated power output in watts of the solar array, with a 90 degree heading meaning the solar array is pointing directly at the sun. Our current operating power is 120 watts, meaning that the solar array should be sufficient to power the rover in most cases. When necessary, the rover will be able to draw extra power from the batteries. From AstroboticBlogPhotos Read More →
FPGA
February 13, 2009
FPGA Our avionics include FPGA control of actuation. This requires development and integration including a lot of software testing. Here is a snippet of the FPGA story. Read More →
Data/payload opportunities
February 11, 2009
Data/payload opportunities Astrobotic hosted a look inside our enterprise, flight system and data/payload opportunities. This was superb give-and-take with interested parties like NASA, and by members of the Astrobotic Alliance. From AstroboticBlogPhotos Read More →
Operator training
February 9, 2009
Operator training Familiarity with operation of Astrobotic’s rover is essential for developing, testing and mission ops. Hundreds of operator hours are required during each lunar surface mission. Thousands of hours of operational testing are required for development. Here is a look at basic training, including several recruits. The photo is composited from four images using the technique intended for delivering panoramas via robot from the moon. From AstroboticBlogPhotos Read More →
