One of the great distinctions of space robotics versus terrestrial robotics is that every component, device, sensor and electronic element has to function in vacuum. Once in vacuum, Earth’s convection due to air circulation no longer exists, so regulation of heating and cooling in a space system relies on the far weaker mechanism of radiation, … Continued
The selection of exposure time and lens aperture is dependent on lighting and motion blur. Too much exposure or aperture causes burnout and lack of detail in images. Too much motion blurs detail such that images aren’t usable for computer vision operations such as calculating depth models from stereo. Pixel Value vs. Intensity, Time and … Continued
MoonRanger’s carbon fiber composite chassis shell was a triumph of design, process and master craft. Although metal design and machining is much more straightforward, only a composite solution was sufficiently lightweight. A campaign of design, facility development, mold-making, process development, layup, curing and machining created this elegant structural element. The 18” x 17” x 4” … Continued
During the mission, MoonRanger’s bolted connections are subject to tensile, shear, thermal loads, and the effects of vibration and creep. The desired initial tensioning of the bolt is computed based on these factors. Determining and implementing the correct torque for each bolt on a space robot is essential engineering, process and discipline. Connectors for a … Continued
MoonRanger’s custom electronics take the form of a half dozen printed circuit boards that conform to CubeSatKit-standard dimensions. All these boards and mountings stack into the structural mounting system designated as a ‘LOAF’ in MoonRanger’s design. Read more about the mounting of electronic boards here. This assembly integrates pseudo-boards and pseudo-batteries with correct geometry and … Continued
Early design enclosed the electronic printed circuit boards in aluminum boxes for radiation protection, and attached the boxes to the rover’s top deck for rejecting heat from the electronics to black space. The problem arose when the number of printed circuit boards increased to the point that their boxes would no longer fit on the … Continued
Invariant relative positioning and focus of cameras is vital for the success of MoonRanger’s stereo perception. The slightest change during mission can create inaccurate depth models and therefore non-functional obstacle avoidance. Positioning variables include the spacing between the cameras, their vergence (zero vergence in the case of MoonRanger), and their relative dip angle (“twist”). Camera … Continued
Autonomy Computer Gallery The aluminum shell protects the autonomy computer from radiation and electromagnetic interference (EMI), and conducts heat from the computer through the rover’s deck to black space. The lip around the top edge creates an ‘EMI labyrinth’ to protect the computer from external noise. A large, heavy, layered design was originally conceived to … Continued
The MoonRanger A-team invested a quarter century of effort in 2021. The impressive accomplishments positioned MoonRanger for successful build, test and delivery in 2022. 2021 highlights included: Mechatronic Crafted the composite flight chassis Machined some flight components at CMU Procured sensors, devices, actuators, and other flight components Documented assembly procedure Built a device for precision … Continued