Abstract
Sun-synchronous lunar polar exploration can extend solar-powered robotic missions by an order of magnitude by following routes of continuous sunlight. However, enforcing an additional constraint for continuous Earth communication while driving puts such missions at risk. This is due to the uncertainty of singularities: static points that provide weeks of continuous sunlight where communication blackouts can be endured. The uncertainty of their existence and exact location stems from the limited accuracy of lunar models and makes dwelling at singularities a high-risk proposition. This paper proposes a new mission concept called strategic autonomy, which instead permits rovers to follow preplanned, short, slow, autonomous drives without communication to gain distance from shadow and increase confidence in sustained solar power. In this way, strategic autonomy could greatly reduce overall risk for sun-synchronous lunar polar missions.
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Notes
- 1.
Here, less than 10Â cm/s is considered slow. (Circumnavigating the equator requires \(\sim \) 4.3 m/s.).
- 2.
- 3.
The Sun can be approximated as a directional or area light source. The latter yields a range of solar flux values, which can be thresholded to produce a binary output for planning purposes.
- 4.
Since radio waves behave differently than visible light, this yields a slightly optimistic estimate.
- 5.
To complete certain science objectives, a rover may be required to enter a PSR or other unlit area for a brief period of time; however, this extension is outside the scope of the work presented here.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Dr. Tony Colaprete and Dr. Richard Elphic for their advice on the development of this work and for providing information on relevant lunar sites. This research was supported by NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Grant # NNX13AR25G.
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Otten, N., Wettergreen, D., Whittaker, W. (2018). Strategic Autonomy for Reducing Risk of Sun-Synchronous Lunar Polar Exploration. In: Hutter, M., Siegwart, R. (eds) Field and Service Robotics. Springer Proceedings in Advanced Robotics, vol 5. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67361-5_30
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