NASA's new challenge has a winner
Synopsis: NASA asked the public for a proposal for a lunar robot. The winning proposal weighs just 0.8 pounds, about the size of a soap box, but is cheaper, lighter and more maneuverable.
Other robotic probes come in a variety of shapes, some like a bar of soap or even fit in the palm of your hand. But these mini-robots are on a great mission: preparing for human survival on the moon.
NASA announced the "Honey, I shrunk THE NASA Payload" challenge, featuring a total of six miniature payload designs for the delayed moon mission. In the future, these little robots could go to the surface of the moon, collect resources, observe the environment, and assemble relevant information.
Transporting equipment into space is expensive: NASA estimates that it costs $10,000 just to get a 1-pound payload into Earth orbit.
As part of the Artemis mission to provide sustainable conditions for human life on the moon, the space agency should consider using sustainable methods as well.
That's where these little robots come from, the smaller the payload, the cheaper it is, and the smaller the scout, the easier it is to move around.
In April, NASA announced a crowd-participation award competition that called for microloaders 3.9 inches by 3.9 inches by 1.9 inches and weighing no more than 0.8 pounds. Hundreds of designs were submitted.
The "Next Generation" challenge, sponsored by NASA's Lunar Surface Innovation Program, calls for a new generation to support further exploration of the moon in the future and seek long-term habitation for humans on the moon.
"Everyone's ideas are brilliant," said Shababakis, a technician at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "All of these designs will help NASA find a place for humans on the moon, enabling new science."
The selection is divided into two categories, namely lunar potential resources and lunar environment, divided into first prize, second prize and third prize, a total of 160,000 US dollars (about 1,023,368 yuan).
The moon's potential resources go to the minigroids, who are doing a respectable job of carefully exploring the lunar surface, identifying elements such as minerals and volatile matter, and searching for substances like water that could support the astronauts. The team that won the first prize in this category developed a lunar Water probe called Puli, a lightweight mini-robot that can detect water molecules on the moon while withstanding the harsh lunar weather conditions.
Designs under the Lunar Environment category focus on detecting radiation and solar activity in the vicinity of the moon. The first prize winner designed an X-ray spectrometer, called a "sun limiter," that measures areas of increased solar activity.
Next step: NASA is already planning to send a tiny rover to the moon by the end of 2022.
About the size of a shoebox and weighing less than five pounds, the Iris four-wheel rover is in development and is expected to pioneer NASA's future moon missions with mini-rovers.
The Artemis mission, which will take place in 2024, will be the first to put a woman on the moon's surface and the first to land an astronaut on the lunar surface in more than 50 years since the Apollo missions.
Unlike the Apollo missions, this one was intended to keep astronauts on the moon. Ultimately, the Artemis mission aims to make life sustainable on the moon by sending crews to the surface each year.
About Manly
More than 12 years of experience in producing lithium battery cells and battery packs for various applications. Welcome to send your requiry to info@manlybattery.com
