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Topic - Challenges in Mobility and Robotics for In Situ Science

 Mars Sojourner Rover Fido Rover

Challenges in Mobility and Robotics for In Situ Science

presented by Brian Wilcox
Manager, Solar System Exploration Mobility Technology Program


Click here for the archived lecture. 

If you don't have RealPlayer,
you can download the free RealPlayer 8 Basic.
 
Thursday, May 8 The von Kármán Auditorium at JPL
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA
Friday, May 9 The Vosloh Forum at Pasadena City College
1570 East Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA

Both lectures begin at 7 p.m.

Admission is free. Seating is limited.
For more information, call (818) 354-0112.

In situ science on planetary surfaces such as Mars, Venus, Mercury and Titan poses extreme challenges for mobile robots. Mobility is needed to avoid the kind of situation that occurred with the two Viking Landers in 1976: despite the rich array of rocks visible around the landers, no rocks could be reached by either of the robotic arms, and thus no real "hard rock" science could be done. This presentation will focus on these challenges and will discuss future missions that involve surface, subsurface, and atmospheric mobility. This focuses the need for technology development in sensing, autonomy, and mobile robot architectures for solar system exploration.
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