For the coming years, a number of planetary missions to small solar system bodies such as asteroids and comets are being planned or already under development. Most of these projects aim at a fly-by or a rendezvous with the target object. Inevitably, landing missions to small bodies will follow the first one being MUSES-C of ISAS which is to return a sample from the Near Earth Asteroid 4660 Nereus. Within Europe, ESA has selected the comet nucleus rendezvous mission ROSETTA, including a small lander, as Cornerstone 3 of its scientific program Horizon 2000. Eventually, missions will evolve which feature mobile robotic vehicles being able to traverse across the surface of an asteroid or comet nucleus, enabling scientific and technological investigations at a number of sites on the surface. The significant differences of mobility on small bodies are outlined as compared to larger planetary objects such as the Moon, Mars, or Mercury and approaches for mobility on small bodies, based on the principle of ballistic flight in the weak gravitational field, are presented. Finally, critical technology issues related to such free-flying mobile vehicles are discussed.
Principles for robotic mobility on minor solar system bodies
Fahrerlose Flugzeuge für den Transport auf Planeten
Robotics and Autonomous Systems ; 23 , 1/2 ; 117-124
1998
8 Seiten, 8 Bilder, 2 Tabellen, 5 Quellen
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Englisch
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