(Photo : Wikimedia Commons/George Eastman House)
Robotic rovers will likely be employed to help astronauts during their future extravehicular activities (EVAs).
Rootic Rover Biobot for Extravehicular Activities (EVAs)
Footage from the Apollo missions showed how difficult it was for astronauts to bend and pick things. The lack of gravity and the 61-kilogram pack on their back could be among the reasons that even if the astronauts were naturally fit and coordinated on Earth, they tend to fall over many times on the Moon during their moonwalk.
Dr. David Akin of the University of Maryland's Department of Aerospace Engineering weighed in on the issue and concluded that Biobot is the answer. Biobot is a little rover that can manage an umbilical line to connect to an astronaut's suit and follow them around during their extravehicular activities.
Dr. Akin and his team examined potential trade-offs in the design and created a functional prototype of the system as part of the NIAC grant awarded to him. By taking the hefty weight off the astronaut's back, the Biobot allows them to relocate their center of gravity back to a more comfortable location.
Additionally, it can let portable life support system (PLSS) designers include elements like radiative cooling systems that are otherwise deemed too big to fit inside a backpack. It can also act as a platform to store samples that have been gathered or instruments that are required for the task.
As a last resort in an emergency, it can even allow the astronaut to ride on it. It can go over any terrain an astronaut can; thus, it should be able to keep up with them. Additionally, since it is mobile, the umbilical cord that would normally tie the astronaut to a base station is no longer a problem.
Engineers working on the project enjoyed creating the system based on some of the photos in the NIAC final report. They were able to provide a working proof-of-concept for the fundamental functions they had anticipated the Biobot to perform. Additionally, they intend to keep developing it.
However, the Biobot project appears to be on hold for the time being, even if there are voluntary students, due to a lack of forthcoming funding from NASA. Still, those exploring the lunar or Martian surface in the future may be accompanied by a robotic companion that can offer vital help.
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More About Biobot
The weight of the spacesuit and portable life support system (PLSS) increases the wearer's needed exertion level, which in turn places restrictions on the length of the EVA, the distance covered on foot, and the exploration mission's productivity. Additionally, since the PLSS weight is heavy, it causes the astronaut's center of mass to shift both upward and downward, making it difficult for them to manage their locomotion during spacewalks or moonwalks. Biobot aims to address the EVA limitations.
An autonomous robotic device to manage life support umbilicals on planetary surfaces in the proximity of obstructions and snag hazards is the fundamental idea behind BioBot. This makes possible the BioBot system concept, which consists of a robotic rover that can navigate the same terrain as a human with a spacesuit.
It includes consumables, atmosphere revitalization systems (e.g., CO2 scrubbing, humidity and temperature management, ventilation fan), power systems (e.g., battery, power management and distribution), and thermal control systems (e.g., water sublimator, cooling water pump) in addition to the primary life support system for the astronaut.
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