In-Situ Robotics Granular Mechanics &

Regolith Operations (GMRO) Lab

In-Situ Robotics Granular Mechanics &

Regolith Operations (GMRO) Lab

March 12, 2012

Phil Metzger, Ph.D., Senior Scientist

Rob Mueller, Senior Technologist

Surface Systems Office

NASA Kennedy Space Center

Concepts for a Planetary Outpost

Schematic representation of the scale of an Earth launch system for scenarios to land an Apollo-size mission on the Moon, assuming various refueling depots and an in-space reusable transportation system. Note: Apollo stage height is scaled by estimated mass reduction due to ISRU refueling

Each Apollo mission utilized Earth-derived propellants (Saturn V liftoff mass = 2,962 tons)

What if lunar lander was refueled on the Moon’s surface? 73% of Apollo mass (2,160 tons)

Assume refueling at L1 and on Moon: 34% of mass (1,004 tons)

Assume refueling at LEO, L1 and on Moon: 12% of mass (355 tons)

+Reusable lander (268 tons)

+Reusable upper stage & lander (119 tons)

Propellant from the Moon will revolutionize our current space transportation approach

Courtesy of Brad Blair, Colorado School of Mines

Pg. 4

ISRU Functions

Regolith Excavation

Regolith Transport

Regolith Processing

Product Storage

Site Preparation (roads, pads, berms, etc.)

Mission consumablesManufacturing

feedstock

Surface ConstructionConstruction feedstock Oxygen & fuel for

life support, fuel cells, & propulsion

Hoppers & Ascent Vehicles

Surface Mobility Assets

Power Generation

Habitats & Shelters

Polar Volatile Extraction

Manufacturing & Repair

Resource & Site Characterization

(Modified LSAM Cargo Lander)

(Solar Array or Nuclear Reactor)

Power Source

Mobile Transport of Oxygen

ISRU is not Destination Specific

Core Building Blocks

• Atmosphere & Volatile Collection & Separation

• Regolith Processing to Extract O2, Si, Metals

• Water & Carbon Dioxide Processing

• Fine-grained Regolith Excavation & Refining

• Drilling

• Volatile Furnaces & Fluidized Beds

• 0-g & Surface Cryogenic Liquefaction, Storage, & Transfer

• In-Situ Manufacture of Parts & Solar Cells

Possible Destinations

Moon

Mars & Phobos

Near Earth Asteroids &

Extinct Comets

Titan

Europa

Common Resources

Water• Moon• Mars• Comets• Asteroids• Europa• Titan• Triton• Human Habitats

Carbon• Mars (atm)• Asteroids• Comets• Titan• Human Habitats

Helium-3• Moon• Jupiter• Saturn• Uranus• Neptune

Metals & Oxides

• Moon• Mars • Asteroids

Core Technologies- Microchannel

Adsorption- Constituent Freezing- Molecular Sieves

- Water Electrolysis- CO2 Electrolysis- Sabatier Reactor- RWGS Reactor- Methane Reformer- Microchannel

Chem/thermal units

- Scoopers/buckets- Conveyors/augers- No fluid drilling

- O2 & Fuel Low Heatleak Tanks (0-g & reduced-g)

- O2 Feed & Transfer Lines

- O2/Fuel Couplings

- Thermal/Microwave Heaters

- Heat Exchangers- Liquid Vaporizers

- Hydrogen Reduction- Carbothermal Reduction- Molten Oxide Electrolysis

Common Resources & Processes Support Multiple Robotic/Human Mission Destinations

In-Situ Robotics

• Human Robotic Systems is a NASA technology development, looking to make humans in space (and on earth) more productive

• Key development areas: mobility, manipulation, human systems interaction

• Funded through NASA’s Game Changing Development Program within Space Technology

In-Situ Robotics

• Humans are more productive through the use of robots and human-robot teaming

• For this to work, the robots must be safe• Developing safe robotics will have applications on

earth

• Laying out roles is critical in human-robot teams

• Development in computing, sensing, batteries, algorithms, common tools that make this a good time for robotics to flourish

In-Situ Robotics

• Robots and human-robot teams needed across all phases of missions

• Preceding crew arrival• Scouting; finding high value targets; ISRU

• Working with humans during a mission• Apprentice role (dull, dangerous and dirty)• Mobility; riding on, moving cargo, infrastructure

• After crew departure• Preparation for next crew mission; moving assets, setting

up infrastructure• Performing exploration

In-Situ Robotics

• How robots are controlled varies on mission phase and operation mode

• Supervised from ground under time delay• Direct crew interaction

• Riding on• Working shoulder-to-shoulder

• In-direct crew interaction through teleoperation

HRS Approach

• HRS develops and matures prototype systems, subsystems, and component technologies in advance of key agency decision points

• Target TRL 5-6 prior to program infusion• Orbital, asteroid, surface

• Re-use existing robots though…• Improving functionality/fidelity of hardware and

software• Using in new or novel ways

• Build selective new robots

HRS Approach

• Work with human exploration architecture communities• Build prototypes to answer open architecture questions being

debated• Build prototypes that that extend the thinking of the

architecture community• Leverage outside resources

• Past HRS development• Other NASA robotics development• Commercial partnerships• Space Act Agreements• Other agencies• SBIR• University research• National Robotics Initiative

Current Product Lines

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• Extreme Terrain Mobility (Mobility)• Robonaut 2 technologies (Manipulation)• Robotic Asteroid Mission Technologies

(Manipulation)• ISRU Resource Acquisition (Manipulation)• Controlling Robots over Time Delay (Human

Systems Interaction)

Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations (GMRO) Laboratory projects

Vibratory Impacting Percussive Excavator for Regolith (VIPER) Testing in Icy Regolith Simulant

Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR) with

Gravity Offload System

Portable Launch/Landing Pad and Hazard Field for

Morpheus

Rocket Exhaust Analysis for Preservation of Apollo

Landing Sites

NIAC-funded In-Space Propulsion from

Planetary Resources

Quick Attach Umbilical for JSC’s Chariot

RESOLVE Prospecting Mission Prototype(Applied Chemistry Lab)

Lance Blade on Chariot Rover

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Lance Blade on SEV

Centaur Excavator

Small Platform Excavation Devices

http://go.nasa.gov/13lnqTN

ISRU Field Testing In Hawaii PILOT & Bucket-drum Excavator

The evolution of lunar waterPILOT: Precursor ISRU Lunar Oxygen Testbed

Site Preparation Hardware & Operations

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Solar Concentrator w/ XYZ Table

Solar Sintering & Sintered Pad

Multi-Agent Teaming – 3 Rovers w/ Blades

TriDAR for Rover Tracking

Resistive Sintering Device

Sintered Pad During Thruster Firing

Sintered Pad Before Pad After Thruster Firing

ISRU Product and Utilization Hardware & Operations: “Dust to Thrust”

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Fuel Cell Liquid Oxygen & Methane Cart

Hydride Hydrogen Storage

Water Electrolysis Unit

Water Produced by Fuel Cell

LO2/CH4 Thruster