Aug. 3 (UPI) — NASA has scheduled the launch of three mini rovers to the moon next year as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. These rovers will operate autonomously, serving as an experiment to demonstrate the potential benefits of autonomous robots for space missions. The aim is to expand the efficiency and capability of missions by reducing the need for direct human control.
“Our goal is to showcase the power of a coordinated network of mobile robots that can successfully accomplish tasks without human intervention,” stated Subha Comandur, the project manager of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory CADRE project. This groundbreaking mission is expected to revolutionize the future of space exploration by showcasing the immense potential of autonomous robots.
During the mission, a 13-foot-tall command base on the main lander will receive generalized commands from mission controllers. These commands will then be assigned to the three rovers, which are approximately the size of a carry-on suitcase. The commanders will provide the rovers with high-level goals, allowing them to autonomously determine the most effective methods to achieve them. “Our instructions are simple: ‘Go explore this region.'” explained Jean-Pierre de la Croix, the CADRE principal investigator. “The rovers will handle all the driving, path planning, and navigating around obstacles.”
A key aspect of the mission involves the rovers driving in formation and employing their advanced sensors to detect and navigate around obstacles on the lunar surface. Additionally, a camera positioned on the lander will monitor the progress of the rovers as they complete their assigned tasks.
This lunar mission holds immense potential and could significantly contribute to future human space exploration. NASA highlights that “by taking simultaneous measurements from multiple locations, the rovers are meant to show how multi-robot missions could potentially enable new science or support astronauts.”
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