NASA Wants Your Help To Build Its Moon Digging Robot: Here's How You Can Contribute
US space agency NASA is looking for suggestions for its next lunar exploration. The task at hand seems trivial at first but considering the varying gravities between Earth and the Moon, it is just not as easy as it seems for the earthlings.
You see, NASA is planning to send a digging robot to the moon in one of its upcoming lunar missions. For this, the space agency has already come up with its own machine and has named it RASSOR, short for Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot. While NASA is currently testing the various versions of its hardware, there is one crucial element that it needs help with.
NASA RASSOR (Image: NASA)
NASA has not yet designed the collection drum of the RASSOR robot. While this seems easy to do back on Earth, the Moon¡¯s low gravity will require a completely new design for the same. The purpose is to carry out the excavation on the Moon's surface through the robot¡¯s digging drum and then transport the dug up material to a different location, for which the collection drum is required.
For improving upon this design, NASA has now announced the RASSOR Bucket Drum Design Challenge. Now open for submissions, the challenge requires the participants to submit 3D models of the newly designed collection drum to the agency. A crucial parameter is that the drum should be able to fill in 50% of its capacity before it has to be emptied.
NASA RASSOR (Image: NASA)
NASA is hoping that the challenge will help it perfect the design of the RASSOR. The agency has already perfected the robot for most of its parts. RASSOR has been built to be lightweight so that it can be transported to the moon in a space shuttle easily. The agency has even solved the problem of traction associated with such lightweight structures. As NASA¡¯s Jason Schuler explains it, ¡°With RASSOR, we¡¯re no longer relying on the traction or the weight of the robot. It is possible to excavate on the Moon or Mars with a really lightweight robot.¡± He further adds, ¡°RASSOR is excavation and transportation all in one, but we¡¯d like to improve the design.¡±
So those who have always dreamt of reaching the outer space or working with a space agency and have the capability to do it, here is your chance for the same. NASA will be taking in applications till April 20th.
