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SpacePatrol - Development of Prospecting Technologies for ESA-ESRIC Challenge

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Automation 2023: Key Challenges in Automation, Robotics and Measurement Techniques (AUTOMATION 2023)

Abstract

This article describes a SpacePatrol project which goal was to prepare a robotic solution for the ESA-ESRIC Space Resources Challenge - Development of Prospecting Technologies - the first competition of this type. The aim of the challenge was to present a system that would allow to search and identify natural resources in a moon analogue terrain with conditions similar to real ones. The article presents our approach to each phase of the challenge with description of introduced solutions. The idea is to present the SpacePatrol system in its final stage with detailed information about concept of operation, used sensors and technologies, followed by lessons learned and future plans.

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Acknowledgements

The project was partially financed by European Space Agency according to ESA Contract ITT No. AO/2-1811/21/NL/AT, 83/NS/2021 “Space Resources Challenge – Development of Prospecting Technologies”.

We gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance as well as important comments and suggestions provided by the rest of our colleagues engaged in realisation of SpacePatrol project from Łukasiewicz - PIAP.

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Correspondence to Filip Jędrzejczyk .

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Gawdzik, G. et al. (2023). SpacePatrol - Development of Prospecting Technologies for ESA-ESRIC Challenge. In: Szewczyk, R., Zieliński, C., Kaliczyńska, M., Bučinskas, V. (eds) Automation 2023: Key Challenges in Automation, Robotics and Measurement Techniques. AUTOMATION 2023. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 630. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25844-2_13

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