Fleet of space robots for planetary exploration

Scientist defends the construction of a fleet of robot scientists, which may increase in number and quality as required. [Image: Caltech / ESA / NASA / JPL]

Planetary Exploration

In 2009, Professor Wolfgang Fink proposed that an integrated fleet of autonomous robots space would be a more effective approach to explore other worlds in space that robots today.

"We are changing the traditional approach of a single robotic spacecraft, with no redundancy and commanded from Earth, another approach, which will have multiple robots low cost, disposable, able to lead themselves and communicate with several other robots in other places, "Fink said then, to start a development program with the NASA.

Two years later, now at the University of Arizona, the engineer is showing the first results of its new approach.

The structure of the fleet of robots in three layers -surface, air and space - provides a virtually instantaneousintercommunication between the robots. [Image:Wolfgang Fink / Mark A. Tarbell]


Robots scientists and workers

The work consists of building a fleet of robots that scientists can increase in number and quality, adding new capabilities, with robots capable of exploring the climate, geology and biology, among others.

The concept also includes worker-robots to do specific jobs, such as shelter construction, mining and to repair the spacecraft.

The team has already developed the system of global recognition, including a satellite into orbit, a robotic airship, autonomous robots and robotic sea surface.

Robots marine and surface, with intelligence and autonomy, would have the ability to select the best exploration areas to collect samples and data acquisition in each subject area of their work.

Robots spatial Professor Fink platform runs on a Mac Mini. [Image: Wolfgang Fink / Mark A. Tarbell]

Robots on the Mac platform

The structure of the fleet of robots in three layers - surface, air and space - provides a virtually instantaneous intercommunication between the robots.

Today, it takes hours for a satellite in orbit to transmit orders received from Earth to the robot on the surface and vice versa.

Another novelty of space robots of Professor Fink is that all run on a Mac Mini platform and are controlled by devices like the iPod and iPhone.