Microrovers:
Current and Past Examples and
Conclusions
Microrover Space Horizons Workshop
Brown University
Feb. 16, 2012
Bruce Betts, Ph.D.
The Planetary Society
Microrovers
• What is a microrover?
– No precise definition currently.
– One example: 1 to roughly 10 kg;
MUSES-CN to Sojourner
• Lots of examples in design and
Earth use, only Sojourner in flight
• We’ll look at microrovers:
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Coolness
Catalog
Examples
Uses
Conclusions
Why are microrovers
cool?
• Low cost, mass, volume imply:
– Several can be piggybacked on missions
– Increase capability, decrease risk for low cost
– Power advantage: higher power to mass ratio
for smaller rovers
– Can use in riskier ways if desired,
– Mitigate risk by flying multiple
– Easy to deploy
• Microrovers lead to new paradigms
Background: Cornell/TPS
Microrovers Project
• The Planetary Society
•Much of what is presented
here came out of a
Cornell/Planetary Society
project (NASA Steckler Grant)
to study Microrovers for use
with astronauts.
•Though focus with
astronauts, many
products/conclusions remain
useful for robotic only
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Bruce Betts
Louis Friedman
Doug Stetson
Interns
• Cornell University
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Jim Bell (later ASU)
Mason Peck
Joseph Shoer
Yervant Terzian
S/C Engineering class
• Stellar Exploration
– Tomas Svitek and associates
• Independent
– Tom Jones
• TM at JPL
– Brian Wilcox
Microrover Catalog
• Created online microrover catalog
• What has been done for space and Earth
on microrovers.
• Want to help new groups:
– Not reinvent “the wheel”
– Stimulate design thoughts
• One stop info on over 100 Terrestrial and
Planetary Rovers (up to 100 kg for
comparison)
• Tells us what we missed
Online Microrover
Catalog
http://planetary.org/microrovers
Examples of current/recent
microrovers
• Only “microrover”
flown: Sojourner (11.5
kg) on Mars Pathfinder.
• MUSES-CN (1 kg)
was also developed for
flight by JPL
Example prototypes for space
JPL Sample Return Rover
Neptec/CSA Juno prototype
ESA Nanokhod (1.5 kg)
Carleton U./CSA Kapvik (30 kg)
Earth uses examples
(note design variety)
Inuktun VGTV (commercial
inspection) 6 kg
iRobot SUGV 11 kg
defense
Hirose/Fukushima Titan IX
(defense/commercial) prototype mine removal
Recon robotics Recon
scout 0.5 kg, defense
How can we use microrovers?
– Reconnaissance:
• scout possible traverses (e.g., for large
rover, or for astronauts)
• even more efficient if use multiple
• several microrovers quickly explore area
compared to one large rover
– Science: wide range possible from
imaging to contact science depending
on payload.
– High risk exploration,
• e.g., steep slopes, lava tubes
How can we use microrovers (2)
• Increasing Astronaut/Big
Rover Safety
– Enable focusing EVAs/Big
rover traverses on optimized
tasks
– Facilities Inspection
– Communications relays for
astronauts working “over the
next hill”
How can we use microrovers (3)
• Increase Public
Excitement/Involvement
– Will be “fun” and engaging for the
public
– Enable additional perspectives
imaging spacecraft, facilities, and
astronauts (family portrait)
• Increase Student Involvement
– Like CubeSat analogy, standardized
microrover conducive to
university/student run projects
– Can have limited student/public
teleoperation
Design Studies
• We did some basic design studies
• One semester long Cornell engineering
design class on this topic (~50 students)
• Provided input to follow-on professional
study (Stellar/TPS/Cornell), which distilled
and added to student studies, and
developed general and specific
conclusions
Sample 3-Student
Team Projects
Some General
Conclusions
• Microrovers 1 - 11 kg offer unique benefits and
risks, significantly different from larger rovers
• Paradigm shift: not a single rover that does it all,
allows new concept of operations
• A group of microrovers may accomplish more,
with fewer issues of reliability and lower cost
than a single, large rover
• Low mass and easily stowed, microrovers
adaptable to flexible, everyday use compared to
larger
Specific Conclusions
• Power/insulation solutions exist to allow a
microrover to survive the lunar night;
• Mechanically matching an astronaut's speed
should not be a driving requirement for the
rover's mobility subsystem. Instead:
– Virtual proximity through network, and
– Recon, science, inspection prior to or in place of
astronaut EVA
• Microrovers can provide GPS-like position
knowledge
Specific Conclusions (2)
• Microrovers could have same core
design, but portions including payload
could reconfigured, ideally in a plug-andplay fashion.
• Working collaboratively as a network
allows tasks to be shared among many
nodes, including communications relay.
• Teleoperation, autonomous, or both.
Ideally, both – at least limited autonomy.
Web and Email
• http://planetary.org/microrovers
(Microrover catalog and additional
info/papers from TPS/Cornell study)
• Contact: bruce.betts@planetary.org
Let me know what is missing from catalog.