Daedalus, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) “Hamster Ball” probe for exploring lava tube holes on the moon.
The Hamster Ball is a small, transparent ball that rolls around when the hamster is running around inside, allowing the hamster to get some exercise without getting lost, and of course, the owner can always see the cute hamster through the ball. Now scientists think this is a good way to explore the lava tube holes on the moon.
The moon’s surface has a number of lava caves similar to those on Earth, on the surface of the moon can see a small entrance, into a solid structure, space is vast world. These caverns are much larger than those on Earth, many of them are more than 40 kilometers long. Due to the small gravitational force on the Moon, the roof of these caves is very solid. Scientists believe that these caves may be very suitable for the future as a human space base.
Of course, before this first have to be carefully explored the cave. Scientists around the world are designing advanced, low-cost exploration methods. The European Space Agency (ESA) project called Daedalus (Daedalus) is a good idea. Daedalus is an acronym for Descent and Exploration in Deep Autonomy of Lunar Underground Structures. The European Space Agency prefers to nickname it the “Hanging Hamster Ball”.
This spherical probe is only about 46 cm in diameter, equipped with a stereo camera, LIDAR system, can be mapped in three dimensions of the cave terrain, but also to measure the temperature of the cave, radiation intensity and other indicators. When needed, it can also extend an arm, the composition of the stone there on-site laboratory; can also move some obstacles.
The researchers designed to use a rope to send the probe deep into the lava hole, to the bottom of the hole when released, so that the probe like a “hamster ball” in the hole to roll around to explore.
“The camera is equivalent to a stereo vision system, the LIDAR helps determine the distance of the object, and the sphere can sense (avoid) obstacles during the descent and explore on its own when it reaches the bottom of the cave.” Dorit Borrmann, robotics designer for the European Space Agency’s Daedalus project team, said in a press release issued March 24.
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