Andre Mazzoleni

The purpose of the proposed research is to design and prototype an amphibious multi-terrain robot with capabilities to navigate the Arctic regions autonomously using a helical drives-based propulsion system. This will be achieved through developing and validating dynamic models of helical drives on surface conditions found in the Arctic and Antarctic regions such as land covered in snow, ice, mud, gravel, and loose soil as well as small water bodies, followed by developing a fully-functional rover prototype and testing its locomotion capabilities in the field, and, finally, demonstrating the deployment readiness of the rover by simulating a survey mission in the Arctic. The research aims to address the fundamental gap in the field of robotics involving the lack of robust amphibious and multi-terrain functionalities within the class of rovers used to explore the polar regions. To solve this problem, we will address the robotics challenge of understanding how variable surface and terrain conditions couple to the dynamics, energetics, optimal design, and control strategy of a single, multi-functional locomotion system. Through this project the PI(s) will also provide a methodology to derive the dynamics, design, and control architecture of a highly adaptable amphibious multi-terrain rover thereby laying the foundation of the next generation of terrestrial and extraterrestrial exploratory robots.

This project will focus on the model-based design, flight characterization, robust periodic control, 1/10-scale prototyping, and testing of a rigid kite-based ocean current and tidal energy harvesting system. The system is intended for areas of moderate flow in relatively shallow waters, one example being the shallow waters adjacent to the Gulf Stream. The proposed system will consist of a high lift/drag rigid wing that executes periodic cycles. Each cycle will consist of a high-tension cross-current spool-out phase, followed by a low-tension spool-in phase. The use of multiple control tethers and/or on-board control surfaces will make it possible to achieve and control this desired periodic motion in a manner that is robust to fluctuations and uncertainties (e.g., ocean current speed/direction, etc.). It has been demonstrated that properly controlled periodic motions can lead more than an order of magnitude increase in net energy production over equivalently-sized stationary devices, or equivalently, the same amount of power as a stationary system using an order of magnitude less material. The proposed research will focus on two candidate kite-based system configurations: (i) A system where the electric motors/generators and power electronics are housed on a floating platform out of the water and (ii) a system where they are housed at the seabed, in shallower waters.

The funds requested will be used to support the education of undergraduate and graduate students at NC State interested in topics related to space exploration, and to seek out new opportunities for NC State students in areas of interest to NASA. As such, funds will be used to support students directly (through stipends) and to procure materials and supplies for student projects integrated with coursework. Funds will also be used for the PI to travel to NCSG board meetings, and for the PI to travel to NASA centers and potential sponsors of student projects. Planned projects include novel planetary rover designs, cubesat prototypes which can be tested in sounding rockets and balloons, aerodynamics of novel energy generating systems, and developing testing platforms for autonomous planetary exploration.

This proposal addresses the current work on the balloon program at NASA Goddard to control the trajectory of the balloon once it is aloft. The current system is sent aloft without the ability to control its location when external forces are encountered. This research proposes that a sail or propeller could be used to provide trajectory control for the balloon system. Modeling software and examination of current balloon control systems are needed to find the best solution for balloon system trajectory control.

The High-Powered Rocketry Club (Tacho Lycos) team from NC State University will participate in the 2017-18 NASA Student Launch competition which challenges universities from across the nation to design, build, and launch a high-powered rocket with an integrated, on-board experiment. The team has chosen to pursue the deployable rover challenge due to its complexity and multidisciplinary requirements. The team will have to build two fully recoverable rockets for the competition, as well as the deployable rover, and pay for travel to the final competition at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The team has support from faculty advisors, high-powered rocketry advisors, and the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering department head.

A team of six aerospace engineering seniors from NC State University will lead the High-Powered Rocketry Club design efforts during the 2017-18 school year as credit for capstone senior design (MAE 480 and 481). The team will participate in the 2017-18 NASA Student Launch competition which challenges universities from across the nation to design, build, and launch a high-powered rocket with an integrated, on-board experiment. The team has chosen to pursue the deployable rover challenge due to its complexity and multidisciplinary requirements. The team will have to build two fully recoverable rockets for the competition, as well as the deployable rover, and pay for travel to the final competition at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The team has support from faculty advisors, high-powered rocketry advisors, and the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering department head.

Frozen briny water has been shown to exist in quantities on Mars that would support human exploration of the planet if it can be extracted and processed. This water could also be used for robotic exploration as a fuel source for missions leaving the surface of mars or for further exploration on the planet. Known as in situ resource utilization (ISRU), this process is an important tool for leveraging resources found on other astronomical objects such as Mars. In order to bring new talent and ideas to engineering solutions for ISRU on Mars for extracting the frozen water sealed under the surface NASA created a special RASC-AL competition that builds off of the successful RASC-AL platform which has and continuous to serve as an important talent pipeline and idea mine for NASA's Langley Research Center.

The primary goal for the year of activities at NC State University is the award of faculty grants for research related to NASA?s and NC Space Grant Strategic Plans.

To date, NASA has sent several rovers to Mars to explore its terrain, but the exploration regions have been limited to relatively flat and smooth locations. The surface of Mars has many fascinating geologic features which have yet to be explored, such as canyons, mountains, extinct volcanoes, craters, and polar ice caps. The proposed research will involve the conceptual design of missions to explore these regions of Mars, and will also test key technologies required for the missions via the construction and testing of Earth-based prototypes.

Space systems are required to operate in extreme environments with widely varying conditions. The inability of a space system to adapt to changing, uncertain operating conditions can result in significantly degraded performance, or at worst, the total loss of the system. This scenario was demonstrated when Opportunity became immobilized when its wheels sank into an unexpectedly soft Martian soil type. Further, there are several regions on Mars considered to be ?chaotic terrain?, or areas characterized by a combination of ridges, cracks, and valleys. Terrain issues, however, are not the only concern. On the surface of Mars a rover experiences a 60 degree shift in temperature at the mid-latitudes (0o F at mid-day, -60o F at night), 100% humidity at night with undersaturated air during the day, and significant levels of dust and sand raised by winds topping 60 miles per hour. This harsh and unpredictable environment serves as an illustrative example that a different system design mindset is needed when designing for increased all-access mobility. New technologies allow for systems that are increasingly multifunctional, expanding system capabilities and opportunities for deployment. While many efforts have explored the sensing and controls aspect of planetary rovers, little work has been done at the systems-level to re-envision the physical design of these spacecraft. Therefore, the central objective of this proposal is to explore how reconfigurability ? repeatable and reversible changes in physical configuration after system deployment ? can be physically instantiated in spacecraft to ensure enhanced mobility across diverse, uncertain terrains. To accomplish this objective, we propose to use transformation principles (expand/collapse, fuse/divide, expose/cover, rotate) in a system-level design process to generate solutions toward changing a system?s form. Previous research in this area has focused on the principle required rather than the technologies needed to perform the action. Thus, we propose to explore technologies that can be used to accommodate reconfigurability and investigate the ability of these solutions to provide the desired performance gains while simultaneously identifying any limitations and shortcomings. Using systems-level thinking to choose the best concept, a physical prototype of the system will be created. The functionality of this prototype will serve to further the TRL level for this solution and provide a foundation for future research. The significant uncertainties about terrain conditions make it highly desirable for spacecraft to have robust mobility capabilities. Advancements in system architecture that are gained from the incorporation of reconfigurability will transform our perceptions on the constraints that dictate the terrain on which these systems can perform and the range they are capable of achieving. Further, the evolution of this system architecture over the course of multiple missions can lead to increased cost savings and the ability to rapidly explore new, harsh environments.