SPACE EXPLORATION
TRESSA: NASA's Rock Climbing Robot Project
November 21, 2009 11:49 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
TRESSA is a group of three autonomous robots that work together to climb steep slopes. And by steep we mean up to 90 degree slope angles. Two of the robots, called Anchorbots, remaining at the top and support the third robot, named Cliffbot, with tethers as it negotiates the rocks.
TRESSA: NASA's Rock Climbing Robot Project
November 21, 2009 11:49 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
TRESSA is a group of three autonomous robots that work together to climb steep slopes. And by steep we mean up to 90 degree slope angles. Two of the robots, called Anchorbots, remaining at the top and support the third robot, named Cliffbot, with tethers as it negotiates the rocks.
SPACE EXPLORATION
NASA Road-Tests New Moon Rover
September 17, 2009 05:58 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
If NASA astronauts return to the moon in the next decade, they'll get to cruise the lunar surface in style. About the size of a small pickup truck, LER has 12 pivoting wheels that enable the rover to move in any direction and turn on a dime; it features a tilting cockpit for close-up views of the terrain; and it runs on fuel cells.
NASA Road-Tests New Moon Rover
September 17, 2009 05:58 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
If NASA astronauts return to the moon in the next decade, they'll get to cruise the lunar surface in style. About the size of a small pickup truck, LER has 12 pivoting wheels that enable the rover to move in any direction and turn on a dime; it features a tilting cockpit for close-up views of the terrain; and it runs on fuel cells.
SPACE EXPLORATION
Carnegie Mellon Rover is a Hi-Def TV Studio, Internet Node
August 04, 2009 01:29 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Astrobotic Technology’s prototype is scheduled to explore the Apollo landing site in 2011 and hopefully win the $25 million Google Lunar X Prize. The solar-powered rover has been tweaked and fine-tuned for its mission to examine how materials from the Apollo 11 mission have weathered on the Moon.
Carnegie Mellon Rover is a Hi-Def TV Studio, Internet Node
August 04, 2009 01:29 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Astrobotic Technology’s prototype is scheduled to explore the Apollo landing site in 2011 and hopefully win the $25 million Google Lunar X Prize. The solar-powered rover has been tweaked and fine-tuned for its mission to examine how materials from the Apollo 11 mission have weathered on the Moon.
SPACE EXPLORATION
NASA and ESA to send next big mission to moons of Jupiter
February 22, 2009 05:59 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
NASA and ESA have jointly announced their plan to send the next big joint planetary exploration mission to Europa and Ganymede, two of the four planet-sized moons of Jupiter. The decision follows years of anticipation in the planetary science community, where the last such big decision was made back in 1988.
NASA and ESA to send next big mission to moons of Jupiter
February 22, 2009 05:59 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
NASA and ESA have jointly announced their plan to send the next big joint planetary exploration mission to Europa and Ganymede, two of the four planet-sized moons of Jupiter. The decision follows years of anticipation in the planetary science community, where the last such big decision was made back in 1988.
SPACE EXPLORATION
NASA fashions mountain climbing robot
February 06, 2009 12:40 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
NASA researchers today said they had built and tested a robot that can rappel off cliffs, travel over steep and rocky terrain, and explore deep craters. The prototype rover, called Axel, might help future robotic spacecraft better explore and investigate foreign worlds such as Mars. On Earth, Axel might assist in search-and-rescue operations in locations where people might not be able to reach.
NASA fashions mountain climbing robot
February 06, 2009 12:40 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
NASA researchers today said they had built and tested a robot that can rappel off cliffs, travel over steep and rocky terrain, and explore deep craters. The prototype rover, called Axel, might help future robotic spacecraft better explore and investigate foreign worlds such as Mars. On Earth, Axel might assist in search-and-rescue operations in locations where people might not be able to reach.
SPACE EXPLORATION
Professor Designs Plasma-propelled Flying Saucer
February 05, 2009 04:07 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Flying saucers may soon be more fact than mere science fiction. University of Florida mechanical and aerospace engineering associate professor Subrata Roy has submitted a patent application for a circular, spinning aircraft design reminiscent of the spaceships seen in countless Hollywood films. Roy, however, calls his design a “wingless electromagnetic air vehicle,” or WEAV.
Professor Designs Plasma-propelled Flying Saucer
February 05, 2009 04:07 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Flying saucers may soon be more fact than mere science fiction. University of Florida mechanical and aerospace engineering associate professor Subrata Roy has submitted a patent application for a circular, spinning aircraft design reminiscent of the spaceships seen in countless Hollywood films. Roy, however, calls his design a “wingless electromagnetic air vehicle,” or WEAV.
SPACE EXPLORATION
Students call space station with home-built radio
February 03, 2009 04:33 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Four Toronto college students have accomplished a technological feat that their teachers are calling a first. The Humber College seniors made contact with the International Space Station Monday with a radio system they designed and built themselves.
Students call space station with home-built radio
February 03, 2009 04:33 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Four Toronto college students have accomplished a technological feat that their teachers are calling a first. The Humber College seniors made contact with the International Space Station Monday with a radio system they designed and built themselves.
SPACE EXPLORATION
Human-like NASA Space Robot Goes Mobile with Leg, Wheels
February 02, 2009 12:15 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Human-like hands, fingers and even television camera eyes have been hallmarks of NASA's Robonaut, but recent work seeks to give the nimble robot legs, or at least a leg, and even wheels.
Human-like NASA Space Robot Goes Mobile with Leg, Wheels
February 02, 2009 12:15 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Human-like hands, fingers and even television camera eyes have been hallmarks of NASA's Robonaut, but recent work seeks to give the nimble robot legs, or at least a leg, and even wheels.
SPACE EXPLORATION
Robotic Vehicles to Look for Life in Arctic Depths
February 01, 2009 06:14 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has designed three new robotic vehicles for a rare expedition to look for life on the floor of the Arctic Ocean. A 30-member research team will depart with the new vehicles on July 1 to study the Gakkel Ridge, an area that is believed to have been mostly cut off from other ecosystems for at least 26 million years.
Robotic Vehicles to Look for Life in Arctic Depths
February 01, 2009 06:14 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has designed three new robotic vehicles for a rare expedition to look for life on the floor of the Arctic Ocean. A 30-member research team will depart with the new vehicles on July 1 to study the Gakkel Ridge, an area that is believed to have been mostly cut off from other ecosystems for at least 26 million years.
SPACE EXPLORATION
NASA To Test New-Generation Space Rocket
January 31, 2009 04:10 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Back when he was a high school student, in April 1981, Robert Ess says he was absolutely transfixed by NASA's very first flight of its new space shuttle. "I was obsessed with it," he says. The aging shuttle fleet is scheduled to be mothballed next year, after construction of the international space station is complete. Now Ess is obsessed with the first test flight of the shuttle's replacement. This time around, though, it's his job.
NASA To Test New-Generation Space Rocket
January 31, 2009 04:10 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Back when he was a high school student, in April 1981, Robert Ess says he was absolutely transfixed by NASA's very first flight of its new space shuttle. "I was obsessed with it," he says. The aging shuttle fleet is scheduled to be mothballed next year, after construction of the international space station is complete. Now Ess is obsessed with the first test flight of the shuttle's replacement. This time around, though, it's his job.
SPACE EXPLORATION
Robotic Arm on NASA Mars Rover Showcases COSMOS Analysis Software.
January 29, 2009 06:15 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Design engineers used SolidWorks' integrated finite element analysis application to shave weight off arm while maintaining its strength. The NASA "Spirit" rover's robotic arm performed flawlessly when it deployed from its rover mount and positioned instruments for their first measurements on Mars partly because engineers tested its design with COSMOSWorks(TM) finite element analysis (FEA) software before the rocket blasted off for the red planet.
Robotic Arm on NASA Mars Rover Showcases COSMOS Analysis Software.
January 29, 2009 06:15 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Design engineers used SolidWorks' integrated finite element analysis application to shave weight off arm while maintaining its strength. The NASA "Spirit" rover's robotic arm performed flawlessly when it deployed from its rover mount and positioned instruments for their first measurements on Mars partly because engineers tested its design with COSMOSWorks(TM) finite element analysis (FEA) software before the rocket blasted off for the red planet.
SPACE EXPLORATION
Robot That Jumps Like A Grasshopper And Rolls Like A Ball Created For Space Exploration
December 06, 2008 06:28 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
The first robot that can jump like a grasshopper and roll like a ball could play a key role in future space exploration. The ‘Jollbot’ has been created by Rhodri Armour, a PhD student from the University of Bath. It’s hoped his creation, which can jump over obstacles and roll over smoother terrain, could be used for space exploration or land survey work in the future.
Robot That Jumps Like A Grasshopper And Rolls Like A Ball Created For Space Exploration
December 06, 2008 06:28 PM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
The first robot that can jump like a grasshopper and roll like a ball could play a key role in future space exploration. The ‘Jollbot’ has been created by Rhodri Armour, a PhD student from the University of Bath. It’s hoped his creation, which can jump over obstacles and roll over smoother terrain, could be used for space exploration or land survey work in the future.
SPACE EXPLORATION
NASA Innovator Brian Wilcox on Mars Exploration
November 24, 2008 05:05 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Just as NASA and its Phoenix robot find water on Mars and search for Martian life, a key veteran of several Mars research programs—including 1996's Sojourner (the first Mars rover) and the two rovers currently operating on the Red Planet (Opportunity and Spirit)—is now turning his attention to the moon. Leading NASA roboticist Brian Wilcox was the supervisor of the robotic vehicle group at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory when he proposed a new kind of lunar vehicle, the All-Terrain Hex-Legged Extra-Terrestrial Explorer, or ATHLETE. The system rides on six wheels until it meets an obstacle, then it locks its wheels to step over it. His proposal worked its way through the gauntlet of the NASA vetting process, but Wilcox had a choice: stick with his job as supervisor, or engineer the ultimate moonbot. He chose the hands-on approach, and his efforts are rolling and stomping around in deserts and labs in preparation for a possible trip to the moon. PM caught up with him for a conversation about the past and future of robotic extraterrestrial exploration.
NASA Innovator Brian Wilcox on Mars Exploration
November 24, 2008 05:05 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
Just as NASA and its Phoenix robot find water on Mars and search for Martian life, a key veteran of several Mars research programs—including 1996's Sojourner (the first Mars rover) and the two rovers currently operating on the Red Planet (Opportunity and Spirit)—is now turning his attention to the moon. Leading NASA roboticist Brian Wilcox was the supervisor of the robotic vehicle group at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory when he proposed a new kind of lunar vehicle, the All-Terrain Hex-Legged Extra-Terrestrial Explorer, or ATHLETE. The system rides on six wheels until it meets an obstacle, then it locks its wheels to step over it. His proposal worked its way through the gauntlet of the NASA vetting process, but Wilcox had a choice: stick with his job as supervisor, or engineer the ultimate moonbot. He chose the hands-on approach, and his efforts are rolling and stomping around in deserts and labs in preparation for a possible trip to the moon. PM caught up with him for a conversation about the past and future of robotic extraterrestrial exploration.
SPACE EXPLORATION
Robotic Surgeon To Team Up With Doctors, Astronauts On NASA Mission
November 16, 2008 11:34 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
This week Raven, the mobile surgical robot developed by the University of Washington, leaves for the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. The UW will participate in NASA's mission to submerge a surgeon and robotic gear in a simulated spaceship. For 12 days the surgical robotic system will be put through its paces in an underwater capsule that mimics conditions in a space shuttle. Surgeons back in Seattle will guide its movements.
Robotic Surgeon To Team Up With Doctors, Astronauts On NASA Mission
November 16, 2008 11:34 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
This week Raven, the mobile surgical robot developed by the University of Washington, leaves for the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. The UW will participate in NASA's mission to submerge a surgeon and robotic gear in a simulated spaceship. For 12 days the surgical robotic system will be put through its paces in an underwater capsule that mimics conditions in a space shuttle. Surgeons back in Seattle will guide its movements.
SPACE EXPLORATION
Robots to Build Martian Colonies
November 01, 2008 04:29 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
When was the last time you stepped on an ant? Last week? Yesterday? Every chance you get? Yes, we do tend to take things much smaller than ourselves for granted, but a new generation of ant-sized robotics may revolutionize the future of outer-space colonization, if they don't wipe us out on Judgement Day first.
Marc Szymanski, a robotics researcher at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany, is part of a team of European researchers and scientists that is working on developing miniature autonomous robots that can work together to accomplish different tasks in many of the same ways that colonies of termites, ants or bees can work together to gather food, build nests, etc.
Robots to Build Martian Colonies
November 01, 2008 04:29 AM EST - submitted by Daniel Shope
When was the last time you stepped on an ant? Last week? Yesterday? Every chance you get? Yes, we do tend to take things much smaller than ourselves for granted, but a new generation of ant-sized robotics may revolutionize the future of outer-space colonization, if they don't wipe us out on Judgement Day first.
Marc Szymanski, a robotics researcher at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany, is part of a team of European researchers and scientists that is working on developing miniature autonomous robots that can work together to accomplish different tasks in many of the same ways that colonies of termites, ants or bees can work together to gather food, build nests, etc.
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