Space Apps Challenge 2018

Rover design

• Rocker bogie: Ensuring the stability of the chassis so that the experiments in the laboratory can be performed well. Both wheel parts are connected via a differential.
• Solar panel: Needed for powering all the components in the Rover. It is pointed upwards as the Rover will be working at the poles and sunlight will come in almost horizontally.
• Robotic Arm: Consists of two long beams who are connected by joints allowing them enough motion and ensuring a great reaching area. At the end there is a third smaller beam connected to the shovel. This shovel has spikes at the end to facilitate the digging process.
• Camera: This is needed for visual guidance. It is also equipped with a light as the Rover can work in dark regions.
• Laboratory: 8 mini laboratories next to each other allowing enough samples to be able to be analyzed. As these laboratories are close to each other, the heating part can be kept in one position.
• Antennas: Although not visible on the video, the antennas are there to send and receive data and commands from and to Earth.
• Electronics and Power compartment: Inside the chassis as it is necessary to protect it against radiation.
• Rocker bogie: The two wheels connected to each other can turn 180° around its joint. The third wheel can turn 180° as well as its connector beam has a joint in the middle of it.
• Solar panel: it can be folded on its own and stowed at the back of the Rover on the back plate. The folding principle relies on a ‘Z’-formation.
• Robotic Arm: This can be stowed on top of the Rover and has enough room (in accordance to the position of the differential) for stowage. The first beam will be stowed following the length of the chassis while the second beam will be slightly inclined and pointing back to the front. Finally the Shovel will be placed in a designed opening.
• Camera: Same principle as the Robotic Arm.
• Peary crater has been chosen as a top choice for a Moon Base as it is close to water sources (in the Permanently Shadowed Regions). As it is a crater with a diameter of about 79km, the exact position of the Moon Base can still be debated. This is why sending a Rover to investigate the zones close to these PSR’s to determine the optimal location can be useful.
• Lunar travels can be costly, but what if it is for mining a resource that could improve the financial situation of the mission? Hence the main goal of HeLLO. To search for the places with the highest concentrations of Helium 3 which can be used in nuclear fusion. Of course the HeLLO Rover will also determine the composition of the different soils so that other useful materials might be used when setting up the Moon Base.
• Knowledge about the composition of the soil
• Location of places with high He 3
• Place A is chosen for first Moon Base due to it being closer to water reserves, but place B has higher He 3 concentrations. Which company can settle there?

Stowing

• Rocker bogie: The two wheels connected to each other can turn 180° around its joint. The third wheel can turn 180° as well as its connector beam has a joint in the middle of it.
• Solar panel: it can be folded on its own and stowed at the back of the Rover on the back plate. The folding principle relies on a ‘Z’-formation.
• Robotic Arm: This can be stowed on top of the Rover and has enough room (in accordance to the position of the differential) for stowage. The first beam will be stowed following the length of the chassis while the second beam will be slightly inclined and pointing back to the front. Finally the Shovel will be placed in a designed opening.
• Camera: Same principle as the Robotic Arm.

When stowed, the Rover takes about 1m X 1m X 0.275m

Mission planning

• Peary crater has been chosen as a top choice for a Moon Base as it is close to water sources (in the Permanently Shadowed Regions). As it is a crater with a diameter of about 79km, the exact position of the Moon Base can still be debated. This is why sending a Rover to investigate the zones close to these PSR’s to determine the optimal location can be useful.
• Lunar travels can be costly, but what if it is for mining a resource that could improve the financial situation of the mission? Hence the main goal of HeLLO. To search for the places with the highest concentrations of Helium 3 which can be used in nuclear fusion. Of course the HeLLO Rover will also determine the composition of the different soils so that other useful materials might be used when setting up the Moon Base.

Benefits

• Knowledge about the composition of the soil
• Location of places with high He 3

Setting up the first Moon Base on a specific place.

Future planning

• Place A is chosen for first Moon Base due to it being closer to water reserves, but place B has higher He 3 concentrations. Which company can settle there?