Autonomous Robotics for Resource Mapping to Enable In-Situ Resource Utilization

用于资源测绘的自主机器人技术可实现原位资源利用

• 批准号: 322854-2005
• 负责人: DEleuterio, Gabriele
• 金额: $ 2.43万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2005-01-01 至 2006-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=294022
• 关键词: Autonomous; Robotics; Resource; Mapping; Enable

The ability to take advantage of the materials available on the moon, Mars, or asteroids will be of great benefit to space exploration missions. Required payloads would be smaller as supplies would be available at the mission site. This would allow for much less expensive missions as the launch fuel-to-payload weight ratio is greater than 9:1. This would also free up valuable payload space for other instruments and tools, allowing more effective and higher return missions to be undertaken. In the case of potential manned missions, networks of resource extractors would be launched long before the manned launch. Simultaneous, parallel robotic missions would collect oxygen, water or fuel at various locations thus greatly improving the safety of the crew launched later. This procedure can certainly continue for the duration of the manned mission itself, providing a continuous supply of resources needed by the astronauts. Prior to any consideration of the utilization of material from within an unknown environment, resources must first be located and identified. Once that is accomplished, an extraction site must be identified to maximize the expected yield of the resource. The final problem, as the resource site may be far from the base or landing site for the mission, is the preparation of transport paths between these two locations. The main goal of the proposed research is to develop the necessary expertise and scientific knowledge to develop a network of cooperating autonomous robotic systems to demonstrate the ability to locate the desired resources within a large, unstructured and unknown environment and prepare the site for further resource extraction for space missions as might be utilised on the moon, Mars or an asteroid. The benefits of this technology are not limited to space applications. A broad spectrum of terrestrial applications could be well served by the enabling technology for in-situ resource extraction. The applications include mining and resource collection on earth as well as the virtually unlimited potential of networks of cooperative networks of autonomous robotics. Explosive-mine clearing, search and rescue, scientific and other exploration of hazardous environments, and sanitation of large scale areas are just a few of the possibilities.

利用月球、火星或小行星上可用的材料的能力将对太空探索任务大有裨益。所需有效载荷将较少，因为任务地点将有供应品。这将使飞行任务的费用大大降低，因为发射燃料与有效载荷的重量比大于9：1。这也将为其他仪器和工具腾出宝贵的有效载荷空间，从而能够进行更有效和更高回报的飞行任务。对于潜在的载人飞行任务，资源采集器网络将在载人发射之前很久就发射。同时，并行的机器人任务将在不同的地点收集氧气、水或燃料，从而极大地提高后来发射的机组人员的安全。这一程序当然可以在载人任务本身的持续时间内继续进行，为宇航员提供持续的所需资源。在考虑利用未知环境中的材料之前，必须首先找到和确定资源。一旦完成，就必须确定开采地点，以最大限度地提高资源的预期产量。最后一个问题是，资源地点可能远离特派团的基地或着陆点，这就是准备这两个地点之间的运输路径。拟议研究的主要目标是发展必要的专门知识和科学知识，以开发一个合作的自主机器人系统网络，展示在大型、无结构和未知环境中定位所需资源的能力，并为该地点为可能在月球、火星或小行星上利用的空间飞行任务进一步提取资源做好准备。这项技术的好处并不局限于空间应用。能够就地开采资源的技术可以很好地服务于广泛的陆地应用。这些应用包括地球上的采矿和资源收集，以及自主机器人合作网络网络的几乎无限的潜力。清除爆炸物、搜索和救援、对危险环境进行科学和其他勘探，以及大规模地区的卫生设施，只是其中的几种可能性。