NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been working on something that will allow the space agency to explore areas of space where humans can’t reach. This means the lab is working on robots that will be sent to space for making discoveries.
NASA is already working on huge missions that involve sending humans to Mars. In the meantime, many rovers, landers, and orbiters have been sent to the Red Planet. Now, more technologies to deploy advanced robots on other solar systems such as asteroids or Jupiter’s moon Europa.
Robots for challenging terrains
Many of these places are very challenging, as they include steep canyons and thick ice cover. The need for robots will ensure safe navigation and survive challenging terrains. JPL has developed sophisticated software for all rovers on Martian soil. Besides, the laboratory has also written software that allows rovers to drive on the Red Planet, place instruments on the surface, and use cameras to capture their surroundings.
To explore other solar systems, JPL is trying out several designs using wheels and limbs. For instance, a four-limbed, 64-fingered rover named LEMUR (Limbed Excursion Mechanical Utility Robot) was built to measure rock walls by gripping using small fish hooks on each finger. That experiment paved the way for a new breed of robots that can climb, walk and crawl.
Deep space exploration possible with robots
With such new configurations, the space agency has many options to explore the Moon, Mars, and possibly Europa. Besides, above-surface exploration prototype airships are also in works to fly through the Venetian atmosphere as well as Saturn’s moon Titan. Also, helicopters are being built after the Ingenuity helicopter’s success on Mars.
Recently, technicians at JPL also pulled off an ingenious hack to save the dying InSight lander on Mars, as per JPL’s press release. After a few failed attempts to brush off the dust from solar panels, the space agency asked the lander to scoop up and carefully drop sand upwind of its solar panel, allowing it to wipe the dust pile. Although the lander isn’t completely off the dust, the team has still managed to buy some more time for it to survive.
