Robotic Explorer for Hypothesized Surfaces – ROBEX

INSTITUTION

University of Texas – Tyler (UTT)

CLASS

Iridium Class (2024 – 2025)

STUDENT TEAM

ACADEMIC GUIDANCE

Professor Mohammad (Rafe) Biswas

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Our project focuses on developing an omnidirectional transformable system designed to traverse the uneven surfaces of both the 16 Psyche asteroid and Earth. This innovative system is engineered to adapt to the extreme conditions and varied terrains encountered on 16 Psyche, where the gravity is approximately 0.144 m/s2, and surface temperatures range from -200°C to – 73°C. The system’s ability to reconfigure its movement mechanics ensures optimal stability and efficiency, making it the ideal choice for planetary exploration based on our precise calculations. The versatility and resilience of this design not only enhances mobility across rugged landscapes but also significantly advances our understanding of planetary formation and structural separation, providing invaluable insights into the early stages of planet development.

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This work was created in partial fulfillment of the University of Texas – Tyler Capstone Course “MENG 4215“. The work is a result of the Psyche Student Collaborations component of NASA’s Psyche Mission (https://psyche.ssl.berkeley.edu). “Psyche: A Journey to a Metal World” [Contract number NNM16AA09C] is part of the NASA Discovery Program mission to solar system targets. Trade names and trademarks of ASU and NASA are used in this work for identification only. Their usage does not constitute an official endorsement, either expressed or implied, by Arizona State University or National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of ASU or NASA.