Ultra-Light Planetary Manipulator: Study and Development

Abstract

The demand for the use of Planetary Manipulators is quite obvious in space exploration and in situ research. It can also be predicted that its role will expand in upcoming decades given the planned intensification of space exploration. This chapter presents the newly developed 3dof Ultra-Light Planetary Manipulator (ULPM) designated for extended servicing of exploration tools (e.g., penetrators, small rovers, etc.), or scientific instruments and sensors in planetary missions, where Mars and Moon are the mostly foreseen destinations. It combines new ideas and earlier achievements, both of which had influence on the concept and would demonstrate the technology. In consequence, a laboratory model device was successively developed. Two leading constraints determined the design: very low mass of the unit and long extension range of deployment of the servicing instruments. For those reasons, the utilization of the tubular boom mechanism was preferred. Integrated Ultra-Light Planetary Manipulator was tested in laboratory conditions in order to prove its operational functionality and performance. Particularly, it was examined what is the safety deployment distance for certain loads with acceptable stability of the flexible system structure. This topic was also one of the most important issues for performed analysis and manipulator’s dynamics simulations.