ATHLETE
All About Space|Issue 110
If we are to settle on other planets in the Solar System, we will need machines for heavy lifting in all manner of environments. NASA is working on such a robot already
ATHLETE

1 Multiple limbs

Six identical limbs provide support and manipulation for ATHLETE, giving six degrees of freedom: three motions and three rotations for the wheels and tools at the tips.

2 Central chassis

Constructed as either a single hexagon or two connecting triangles, the central chassis is the base for the six limbs and would carry the cargo or exploration payload.

3 Tools

The flexibility of the limbs means that they can collect a variety of tools and manipulate them like a dedicated robot arm. The tools are powered with the wheel motors.

4 Multiple wheels

Each limb has a wheel and motor at the end. These combine with the limbs to drive the ATHLETE rover in any direction or rotation.

5 Grappling

JPL engineers have even looked at equipping ATHLETE with a grappling system so that it would be able to scale vertical terrain, making it a true go-anywhere robot.

6 Cargo module

Standardised modules would be used for landing supplies or base components on other planets, so the handling robots could always collect whatever payloads arrived.

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