Results of Coring from a Low Mass Rover

Technology for coring from a low-mass rover has been developed to enable core sample acquisition where a planetary rover experiences moderate slip during the coring operation. A new stereo vision technique, Absolute Motion Visual Odometry, is used to measure rover slip during coring and the slip is accommodated through corresponding arm pose updating. Coring rate is controlled by feedback of the measured force of the coring tool against the environment. Test results in the JPL Marsyard show that coring from a low-mass rover with slip is feasible.