A method for producing designs involves receiving a request to create a design on the surface of an extraterrestrial body, transmitting a control signal to a device on a vehicle on the extraterrestrial body, the control signal causing the device to create the design, and receiving an image signal providing an image of the design created on the surface. A device for producing the designs includes a surface altering tool configured to rearrange material on the surface. The tool may be provided as a configurable-tread rover wheel that includes a wheel hub having radially-extending channels, and tread elements supported in the channels that are selectively articulatable under the control of a control module to form a tread pattern corresponding to a design intended to be produced. The tread elements may be selectively extended or retracted by operation of an array of solenoids controlled by the control module.
System and method for producing made-to-order designs on the surface of an extraterrestrial body
2015-10-13
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B60B VEHICLE WHEELS , Räder für Fahrzeuge / B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS / G05D SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES , Systeme zum Steuern oder Regeln nichtelektrischer veränderlicher Größen / G06F ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING , Elektrische digitale Datenverarbeitung / G06Q Datenverarbeitungssysteme oder -verfahren, besonders angepasst an verwaltungstechnische, geschäftliche, finanzielle oder betriebswirtschaftliche Zwecke, sowie an geschäftsbezogene Überwachungs- oder Voraussagezwecke , DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTING PURPOSES |
Extraterrestrial Surface Propulsion Systems
NTIS | 1992
|Extraterrestrial surface propulsion systems
NTRS | 1992
|NTRS | 1966
|NTRS | 1972
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