DocumentCode :
2910304
Title :
ATHLETE: A cargo-handling vehicle for solar system exploration
Author :
Wilcox, Brian H.
Author_Institution :
Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Oak Grove, OR, USA
fYear :
2011
fDate :
5-12 March 2011
Firstpage :
1
Lastpage :
8
Abstract :
As part of the NASA Exploration Technology Development Program, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is developing a vehicle called ATHLETE: the All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer. Each vehicle is based on six wheels at the ends of six multi-degree-of-freedom limbs. Because each limb has enough degrees of freedom for use as a general-purpose leg, the wheels can be locked and used as feet to walk out of excessively soft or other extreme terrain. Since the vehicle has this alternative mode of traversing through or at least out of extreme terrain, the wheels and wheel actuators can be sized for nominal terrain. There are substantial mass savings in the wheel and wheel actuators associated with designing for nominal instead of extreme terrain. These mass savings are comparable-to or larger-than the extra mass associated with the articulated limbs. As a result, the entire mobility system, including wheels and limbs, can be about 25% lighter than a conventional mobility chassis. A side benefit of this approach is that each limb has sufficient degrees-of-freedom to use as a general-purpose manipulator (hence the name “limb” instead of “leg”). Our prototype ATHLETE vehicles have quick-disconnect tool adapters on the limbs that allow tools to be drawn out of a “tool belt” and maneuvered by the limb. A power-take-off from the wheel actuates the tools, so that they can take advantage of the 1+ horsepower motor in each wheel to enable drilling, gripping or other power-tool functions.
Keywords :
aerospace robotics; manipulators; mobile robots; space vehicles; ATHLETE; All Terrain Hex Limbed Extra Terrestrial Explorer; Jet Propulsion Laboratory; NASA Exploration Technology Development Program; cargo handling vehicle; general purpose manipulator; solar system exploration; Humans; Mobile communication; Moon; NASA; Propulsion; Vehicles; Wheels;
fLanguage :
English
Publisher :
ieee
Conference_Titel :
Aerospace Conference, 2011 IEEE
Conference_Location :
Big Sky, MT
ISSN :
1095-323X
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-7350-2
Type :
conf
DOI :
10.1109/AERO.2011.5747494
Filename :
5747494
Link To Document :
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