The robot will similar in design to the Mars Rover designed by NASA for the Mars Exploration Rover Mission.  Is will implement six independently controlled wheels for movement.  It will also be equipped with two static dischargers which use a tungsten needle to ionize compressed air which is then released periodically onto surfaces which could become covered in dust.  This will prevent camera lenses and other surfaces from becoming obscured and prevent overheating.  The Rover will also be equipped with a high power drill which penetrate the lunar surface in search of helium-3.  Once a hole has been created a detector containing an organic compound with a high energy emission will emit electromagnetic radiation of a frequency equal to or higher than UV light.

 

Wheels

We will land in the Mare Cognitum, which has a relatively level elevation. Our rover will use six wheels with a suspension system like that of the two mars rovers. However, our wheels will be made of open-mesh, woven piano wire studded with titanium cleats. This material has already been proven to handle harsh lunar terrain for lunar buggies and lunar bikes, so our lighter lunar rover should have no problems. We think the maximum speed for this robot will be 100 meters/day.

Navigation

Our robot will mainly rely on daytime commands relayed directly from Earth, such as movement coordinates and drill locations. Our rover will also house onboard AI navigation that will allow it to:

1) retrace its steps if it suddenly loses signal

2) determine whether it should go over or around a rock in its path

This system will help the rover find its way back to the launch pad in case it gets lost or has a communication error. At nighttime, when our rover cannot receive commands from Earth, it will stop all tasks and go into standby to conserve power. In the morning, it will automatically "wake up" and await further instructions from the Earth command.

Once it drives 500 meters to the appropriate open field, our rover will initiate its spiral search program, which will allow it to thoroughly navigate the area and safely drill.

Power

We have decided to use one SN-185 model solar panel from Max Energy. It will cost roughly $1100 and weight 85 lbs, but with a power output of 185W, it should generate more than enough power for our entire robot [6].

Unlike Mars, where solar winds are able to clear the solar panels of Spirit and Opportunity of dust, lunar dust is much harder to remove. Therefore, we will implement Panasonic's ER-VW Static Ionizer to discharge our rover's solar panel, at a cost of $1300 [11]. It will be fired once every hour to ensure that our solar panels function with maximum efficiency [12].

Mass

Our rover is going to be built out of CNC machined titanium. Since the two Mars exploration rovers weighed roughly 400 lbs. [5], with our added weight on the drill (but a reduced weight on the solar panels), we hope to aim for under 450 lbs.

Camera

We have decided to use a Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) camera to high resolution images of the lunar surface. It was originally designed for the 2001 Mars Surveyor, but it was never launched due to a potential data transfer error aboard the spacecraft (but not the actual camera). The MARDI camera is designed to take 66 degree wide, 1024x1024 pixel color images. It weighs less than one pound and only consumes three watts of power while acquiring data [16]. This camera will be mounted on a 360 degree horizontal swirl arm.

Drill

We have decided to use the CanaDrill developed by the Northern Centre for Advanced Technology and Electric Vehicle Controllers [8]. Originally designed to be used in NASA's 2009 Mars mission, this instrument was designed for rugged space exploration, and will be durable enough for us to conduct multiple lunar drills.

[9]

Detection

The detection of the helium-3 isotope involves the use of titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst. He-3 is found near TiO2 on the nearside of the moon. When exposed to electromagnetic radiation of a frequency greater than that of Ultraviolet radiation (greater than 7.15 x 1014 s-1) [17], TiO2 reacts, oxidizing any organic substance in the vicinity. The detector would contain a gamma radiation emitter which would use a radiation source such as I-131 or Tc-99 contained inside a lead box which would release bursts of radiation when commanded to. The detector would use gamma radiation because of its ability to permeate most materials. The gamma rays would activate the catalysis of the TiO2. Any TiO2 in the area would then oxidize a solution of an organic material, giving off a charge which would be detected and used to indicate the proximity of TiO2.