Topic of the Week: Robots in Space! - MyMoon

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zhivagonmars712:

RT @MyMoonLPI: RT@NASALADEE Mystery of Moon's Magnetic Field Deepens http://t.co/mWdxXKhhHW …And bonus: Easy Quiz for Lunatics! #mymoonlpi

MyMoonLPI:

Ready for the NASA's next mission to the Moon-LADEE? Don't miss our Hangout w/Brian Day on May 21 @ 8pm ET http://t.co/L55y80Zqdr #mymoonlpi

MyMoonLPI:

RT@NASALADEE Mystery of Moon's Magnetic Field Deepens http://t.co/mWdxXKhhHW …And bonus: Easy Quiz for Lunatics! #mymoonlpi

MyMoonLPI:

‏RT@glxp The Google Lunar X PRIZE Daily is out! http://t.co/hBXCGPNFSU #mymoonlpi

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: ROBOTS IN SPACE!

As we have been seeing with the recent discoveries from the Curiosity rover on Mars, robotic missions to other bodies in our solar system have been extremely valuable scientifically. Just a few days ago, the rover discovered strong evidence for the presence of a stream on Mars in the past. But robotic missions can provide valuable functions beyond science. These explorers could lend us help in mining (as we have been discussing on the blog for the past few days), construction of new facilities, or gathering special resources.

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On October 11, we will be having a live video webcast with Blaze Sanders, who is the program manager of the JURBAN team for the Google Lunar X PRIZE. This X PRIZE is a challenge to send to first privately funded robotic mission to the Moon. Blaze Sanders will talk about their team’s experiences in building a lunar robot and what purposes it could serve.

Until Sander’s webcast, we can start to consider the tasks a lunar robot could carry out very well. Where do you see robotics being useful for lunar exploration or lunar settlement? What types of commercial activity could a robot on the Moon help out with?

by: Abhimat G.

Tuesday Oct-02-2012

COMMUNITY COMMENTS:

Dennis M J M.

Tuesday Oct-02-2012

The IAC2012 is on in Naples over the next few days, they have virtual forums through which you can listen and participate with these other visionary people : check it out ! :)

http://www.iafastro.com/index.html?title=VF


I watched some good ones today, worth your while, lots of interesting new info and a good idea of where we're at in academia. One project I watched today was on autonomous analog power systems from indian universities and another was a project by 12 european universities working together to build a small vehicle for an ESA payload to test new methods of manoeuvring spacecraft from LEO to the moon.

Great stuff on many topics including robotics :)

Not doing much in the mornings ? Go to the IAC2012 in Naples through the magic of the internets ! ;p

Eve H.

Wednesday Oct-03-2012

Dennis - Thanks for the heads up on the virtual access to the conference - I will definitely check it out!

On a side note, I will be very interested to learn more about the engineering challenges in developing & sending a robot to the Moon, and look forward to Blaze's perspective and to learn how his team is facing them. Despite all of the obstacles, we are truely living in exciting times! Curiosity's success on Mars thus far only makes me long to see us back on the surface of the Moon as well. :)

Nick A.

Sunday Oct-07-2012

A funny thought: the Robot population on the Moon will probably outweigh the Human one for a long time, perhaps even permanently.

We'll already be outnumbered on one world...

But, luckily, they'll be helping us with basically everything. Resources, riches, and basic survival.

Dennis M J M.

Monday Oct-08-2012

shya, until they start to figure out how lazy we are and they begin to demand pay equity, reasonable working hours/conditions and benefit plans for their offspring :/

#ShadesOfAnimatrix


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