Nasa lunar rover software#

“Working with T STAR, ATG and the MISL has allowed us to move forward from ideas to working prototypes in a timely and cost-effective manner,” stated Graham. LOUIE’s multifaceted mission while on the moon will include instrument deployment, roadbed preparation, video recording of the launch of the return vehicle and the distribution of radio-frequency identification sensors that will help NASA scientists collect information about lunar water ice and establish a geo-location infrastructure.įollowing the successful completion of STRATA-1, Hermes, HeliKite and Cardinal, LOUIE is the latest example of the win-win proposition of the public-private-academic partnership which has been established by T STAR over the past three years. In addition, LOUIE will perform lunar trenching to support lunar roadbed preparation. LOUIE’s capabilities and adaptability has piqued NASA interests in meeting the lunar mission requirements including regolith sample imaging. Other students from the department who played a role in bringing LOUIE to fruition were Shelby Baron and Dustin Tish who worked closely with Dr.

ATG’s Herbert Baumgartner ’09 led the major mechanical modifications and addition to the robot, and T STAR’s Matt Leonard ’86 managed and directed the project.

Nasa lunar rover software#

Mechatronics students Shane Blozis and Daniyal Ansari were the primary hardware and software engineers on the project. On July 31, the industry-academic team successfully completed its demonstration of LOUIE, which was then accepted by Graham. In response to NASA’s requirement to develop a small-form factor mobile platform to perform lunar regolith (soil) analysis and characterization as well as imaging for concurrent lunar operation, T STAR and ATG partnered with the Mobile Integrated Solutions Laboratory (MISL) within the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution to adapt the Articulate-Leg Suspension Evaluation Platform and Digital Systems Teaching and Research (ASEP/DSTR-class) robots to meet NASA’s diverse set of requirements.

Graham’s statement further cemented the team as a valuable partner for NASA in meeting the United States Vice President’s directive to return humans to the moon. This statement was made after a final successful demonstration of the articulated suspension robot called LOUIE (Lunar Observation, Utility and Imaging Explorer) was conducted by Texas Space Technology Applications and Research (T STAR), ATG Mobile Electric Systems and undergraduate students from the mechatronics program at Texas A&M University.