Our society relies heavily on plastic products and the amount of plastic waste is expected to increase in the future. If not properly discarded or recycled, much of it accumulates in rivers and lakes. Eventually it will flow into the oceans, where it can form aggregations of marine debris together with natural materials like driftwood and algae. A new study from Wageningen University and EPFL researchers, recently published in Cell iScience, has developed an artificial intelligence-based detector that estimates the probability of marine debris shown in satellite images. This could help to systematically remove plastic litter from the oceans with ships.<h2>Automatic analysis</h2>Accumulations of marine debris are visible in freely available Sentinel-2 satellite images from the European Space Agency that capture coastal areas every 2-5 days worldwide on land masses and coastal areas. Because these amount to terabytes of data, the data needs to be analysed automatically through artificial intelligence models like deep neural networks. Marc Rußwurm, Assistant Professor at Wageningen University and former researcher at EPFL: “These models learn from examples provided by oceanographers and remote sensing specialists, who visually identified several thousand instances of marine debris in satellite images on locations across the globe. In this way they ‘trained’ the model to recognise plastic debris.” Devis Tuia, associate professor at EPFL and Director of the Sion-based Laboratory of Computational Science for the Environment and Earth Observation (ECEO), is corresponding author of the study.<blockquote>The detector remains accurate even in more challenging conditions. For example when cloud cover and atmospheric haze make it difficult for existing models to identify marine debris precisely.<footer>Marc Rußwurm, Assistant Professor at Wageningen University and former researcher at EPFL</footer></blockquote><h2>Improved detection</h2>The researchers developed an AI-based marine debris detector that estimates the probability of marine debris present for every pixel in Sentinel-2 satellite images. The detector is trained following data-centric AI principles that aim to make best use of the limited training data that is available for this problem. One example is the design of a computer vision algorithm that snaps manual annotations from experts precisely to the debris visible in the images. With this tool, oceanographers and remote sensing experts can provide more training data examples by being less precise in the manual clicking of outlines.Overall, this training method combined with the refinement algorithm teaches the deep artificial intelligence detection model to better predict marine debris objects than previous approaches. Rußwurm: “The detector remains accurate even in more challenging conditions. For example when cloud cover and atmospheric haze make it difficult for existing models to identify marine debris precisely.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1701346986180-9a9faa64.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Heavy precipitation over Durban, South Africa on 22 April 2019, 19:00. Continued precipitation between 18th and 22nd of April lead to the Durban Easter floods 2019 that washed substantial amounts of plastic litter into the Indian ocean, which are visible in Satellite images. Map data © 2023 Google. Precipitation data © JAXA Global Rainfall Watch<h2 id="isPasted">Following plastic debris</h2>Detecting plastics in marine debris under difficult atmospheric conditions with clouds and haze is particularly important, as often plastics are washed into open waters after rain and flood events. This is shown by the Durban Easter floods in South Africa: In 2019 a long period of rain led to overflowing rivers, resulting in much more litter being washed away than normally. It was taken along through the Durban harbour (left picture) into the open Indian Ocean (right picture). In satellite images, such objects floating between clouds are hard to distinguish when using common red-green-blue colour ‘channels’. They can be visualised by switching to other spectral channels, including near-infrared light.<h2>Double view</h2>Apart from more accurate prediction of marine debris aggregations, the detection model will also notice debris in daily-accessible PlanetScope images, coming from cubic nanosatellites. “Combining weekly Sentinel-2 with daily PlanetScope acquisitions can close the gap towards continuous daily monitoring”, explained Rußwurm. “Also, PlanetScope and Sentinel-2 sometimes capture the same patch of marine debris at the same day only a few minutes apart. This double view of the same object at two locations reveals the drift direction due to wind and ocean currents on the water. This information can be used to improve drift estimation models for marine debris.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1701347058805-06fb92a9.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The scientists tested the AI model predictions on Sentinel-2 satellite images of challenging atmospheric conditions with clouds and haze. In red, the correctly detected debris with plastic waste. © ESA / Cell iScience<h2 id="isPasted">Further explorations</h2>These directions will be explored further in the research of Prof. Marc Rußwurm at Wageningen University together with Prof. Tim van Emmerik, who is an expert in river plastics, and partners in the Netherlands, such as the Ocean Cleanup, who collect plastics on open oceans with dedicated ships. It originates from work in the AI for Detection of Plastics with Tracking (ADOPT) project in collaboration with the Swiss Data Science Center (a joint venture between ETH Zurich and EPFL) and EPFL by Prof. Devis Tuia, Dr. Emanuele Dalsasso, and Prof. Marc Rußwurm that investigates the continuous tracking of marine debris in between satellite imagery further.<h2>Sentinel-2 and PlanetScope</h2><a href="https://sentinel.esa.int/web/sentinel/missions/sentinel-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESA’s Sentinel-2 satellite constellation</a> from the European Space Agency consists of two large satellites that cover the Earth every 2-5 days. They measure the reflected light in multiple spectral channels beyond the visible red-green-blue and up to 10m pixel size. The images are openly available.<a href="https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/planetscope" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PlanetScope Doves and SuperDoves</a> make up a constellation of several hundred small CubeSats (nanosatellites) that cover the Earth every day at 3-7m pixel resolution. The images are not free to acquire, but can be used to a limited extent for research purposes at no cost through a Research and Education programme.<hr>References<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004223024793" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Marc Rußwurm, Sushen Jilla Venkatesa, Devis Tuia, "Large-scale Detection of Marine Debris in Coastal Areas with Sentinel-2", Cell iScience, 8 November 2023.</a>

Durban's beach after a flood on 13 April 2022, two years after the one of 2019. © iStock/Antonio BlancoDR

A research team from EPFL and Wageningen University has developed a new artificial intelligence model that recognises floating plastics much more accurately in satellite images than before. This could help to systematically remove plastic litter from the oceans with ships.

AI helps detecting plastic in oceans

Small satellites are becoming increasingly compact and powerful. The technology of conventional radio channels is reaching its limits due to the rising number of satellites. Laser communications offers solutions for the efficient transmission of high data volumes without interfering with other channels. For this application, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/kn" target="_blank">Institute of Communications and Navigation</a>, together with the company Tesat-Spacecom GmbH &amp; Co. KG <a href="https://www.tesat.de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TESAT</a>, developed OSIRIS4CubeSat, the world's smallest commercially available laser communications terminal. The reliability and error-free functionality of the terminal, which was specifically developed for use on microsatellites, was confirmed during a test mission in space.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1699086525920-image-1600-66c2779f82a779fcbe74aba8d1b6a0ad.jpeg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The highly compact communication terminal CubeLCT was developed at the DLR Institute of Communication and Navigation on behalf of the company Tesat Spacecom. It is prepared for series production and can be integrated and adjusted with a few degrees of freedom. Credit: DLR (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)"This success is the result of our many years of research in the field of optical satellite communications," says Florian David, Director of the DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation. "It demonstrates the impressive potential for designing small, light and at the same time powerful optical satellite terminals. This is an important building block for future satellite systems, for example for Earth observation or in megaconstellations."<h2>Microsatellite with an optical communications system</h2>The first OSIRIS4CubeSat terminal was launched into space on board the CubeL satellite on 24 January 2021. During the <a href="https://www.dlr.de/de/aktuelles/nachrichten/2021/01/20210124_pionierstart-kleinsatellit-mit-kleinstem-laserterminal-der-welt" target="_blank">PIXL-1 mission</a>, images acquired by the camera system on CubeL could be sent to the Optical Ground Station Oberpfaffenhofen using the OSIRIS4CubeSat laser. Both the satellite and the laser terminal have since undergone extensive testing. Now the tests have been successfully completed with an end-to-end demonstration. The reliability and error-free functionality of OSIRIS4CubeSat in space have been confirmed.Microsatellites, or CubeSats, have a standardised cube shape with an edge length of 10 centimetres and can be extended as required. The laser communications terminal developed in the <a href="https://www.dlr.de/kn/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-17840/#gallery/36173" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">OSIRIS4CubeSat</a> project together with TESAT complies with this standard. The patented design, in which an electronic circuit board was used as the mechanical basis for the optical elements for the first time, made it possible to achieve a high degree of compactness.<h2>High data transmission rates without electromagnetic interference</h2>With a data rate of 100 megabits per second, the laser terminal's speed far surpasses the transmission capabilities of comparable radio systems. In addition to the high data rate, laser light as a transmission medium is unaffected by electromagnetic interference. Channel crosstalk, as often occurs with conventional radio channels, does not exist with laser transmission. This means that laser transmission channels do not require lengthy approval procedures on the part of the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur; BNetzA) or the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).When transmitting image data to Earth by laser, encoding procedures developed at DLR were employed to safeguard the data. This is necessary to maintain stable, zero-loss transmission from the satellite to Earth, since the data must be protected from disruptions caused by atmospheric effects. For this purpose, they are encoded on the satellite before being sent to the ground station using the laser link. There, following reception, they are decoded and then processed. The <a href="https://www.dlr.de/en/research-and-transfer/projects-and-missions/iss/the-german-space-operations-center" target="_blank">German Space Operations Center (GSOC)</a> is responsible for the commanding, operation and support of the satellite. CubeL is thus the first CubeSat to be successfully integrated into GSOC's existing ground segment.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1699086552505-image-1600-a23a7a8f570e1abd2658cf00a0296875.jpeg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The new op­ti­cal ground sta­tion on the roof of the DLR In­sti­tute of Com­mu­ni­ca­tions and Nav­i­ga­tion in Oberp­faf­fen­hofen. Credit: DLR (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)<h2>From research to industrial application</h2>The results from PIXL-1 show the error-free functionality of the OSIRIS4CubeSat terminal along the complete transmission chain. This will enable widespread use of laser communications on a large number of satellites in the future. The technology was transferred to TESAT even before the demonstration mission was completed. TESAT has since incorporated the terminal into its portfolio and offers it to commercial customers under the name 'CubeLCT' or 'SCOT20', which is a further development of the product.Siegbert Martin, Chief Technology Officer at TESAT said: "This underlines the great opportunities that arise from cooperation between research and industry in Germany."

The PIXL-1 small satellite can acquire images of the Earth with a high-resolution camera and send them to the Optical Ground Station Oberpfaffenhofen with the CubeLCT via a laser link. Credit: DLR (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

Small satellites are becoming increasingly compact and powerful. The technology of conventional radio channels is reaching its limits due to the rising number of satellites.

Demonstration of data transmission from a microsatellite by laser

In this episode, we discuss a joint endeavor led by ETH Zurich to leverage robotic teams to explore the lunar surface for precious materials.

Podcast: Robotic Pioneers on the Moon's Surface

<div data-id="9908f31" data-element_type="widget" data-widget_type="heading.default" id="isPasted"><h2>International Space and Robotics Contest</h2></div>For the first time in the history of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW, a team of nine Bachelor students from three different fields of study successfully participated in the European Rover Challenge (ERC). Within a year, the students built a Mars rover and placed 6th in the competition out of 19 teams from all over Europe, being the only newcomer in the top 10. 'It was a bit like a ‘fish out of water’ experience because we didn’t have any inside knowledge of the competition', explains Nadine Richard- the 5th-semester mechanical engineering student was in charge of the gripper, deep sampling, and the robotic arm.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk2MjQ0NjcyNzA2LW1hcnMtcm9ib3QtM2QtcHJpbnRlZC0zLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk2MjQ0NjgxMTM4LW1hcnMtcm9ib3QtM2QtcHJpbnRlZC0yLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk2MjQ0NjkwMTc5LW1hcnMtcm9ib3QtM2QtcHJpbnRlZC0xLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The Mars rover of the FHNW in action at the European Rover Challenge (ERC)<h2>Success with the right goals</h2>For the first participation in the ERC, it was important for the FHNW team to be able to compete with a functioning rover. In the four disciplines of navigation, probing, maintenance, and science, the Mars rover had to prove its skills.&nbsp;<blockquote>'In the development, we focused especially on the drivetrain, as well as the manipulator (robotic arm and gripper), since these two components are elementary for all four tasks in the competition,' emphasizes Nadine.</blockquote><div data-id="c866847" data-element_type="widget" data-widget_type="heading.default" id="isPasted"><h2>Components from the 3D printer</h2></div>3D printing played a key role in the development of the rover. 'A big advantage of additive manufacturing is the complexity of the parts you can design, as well as the different technologies and materials ready to use,' Nadine explains. For the tires and the signal mast, the team used the FDM printers available at the university. Due to the high demands on the gripper, selective laser sintering (SLS) was used as another 3D printing technology. High durability – due to forces from all directions – and extreme lightness – due to the gripper’s center of gravity being far out – led the students to Sintratec. 'The sponsored components from Sintratec exceeded all our set requirements and performed excellently in all four tasks of the competition', Nadine happily points out.See these incredible images below that showcase the rover and gripper.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk2MjQ0NzUxMjI0LXNscy0zZC1wcmludGluZy1tYXJzLXJvYm90by5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk2MjQ0NzU3NzY5LXJvdmVyX2luX3RoZV9GSE5XX3dvcmtzaG9wLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk2MjQ0NzYzMjM2LWdyaXBwZXJfbW91bnRlZF9jbG9zZXVwLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">An important element on the Mars rover is the gripper on the manipulator, which is under high loads from all directions.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk2MjQ0ODAzMDc3LW1hcnMtcm9ib3QtM2QtcHJpbnRlZC00LmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk2MjQ0ODA4NDkzLW1hcnMtcm9ib3QtM2QtcHJpbnRlZC01LmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk2MjQ0ODEyMTE3LW1hcnMtcm9ib3QtM2QtcHJpbnRlZC02LmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The gripper was 3D printed from lightweight and durable PA12 with the Sintratec SLS technology.<div data-id="f17ceb6" data-element_type="widget" data-widget_type="heading.default" id="isPasted"><h2>SLS convinces tomorrow’s engineers</h2></div>Nadine Richard’s team was impressed with the high durability, stability, and accuracy of the SLS components printed with PA12 on the Sintratec S2. The lack of support structures also made it advantageous for the project. Sintratec provided guidance and allowed them to incorporate new technology into their project. Nadine plans to use SLS technology for future robotic projects. Learn more about the project in the video below.<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ia4PSyXHeYo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe>

Students from the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) build a functional Mars rover using SLS 3D printed parts and take 6th place at the European Mars Rover Challenge (ERC) in Poland.

SLS technology on a mission to Mars?

In this episode, we embark on a journey to the red planet and unveil the remarkable success of the NASA JPL MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment) mission on Mars.

Podcast: Breathing on Mars: MOXIE's Astounding Success

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1672821999265000&usg=AOvVaw3lLKdHdEN0YvCEsaHI7hx9" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/95b5b321-ff01-4131-9a82-dc2417f0588b?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> The full article will continue below.<hr>Think about this: while we&#39;re here on Earth, a device on Mars (called MOXIE) is breathing life into our interplanetary ambitions by turning carbon dioxide into oxygen. And it&#39;s not just working; it&#39;s thriving. <h3>The minds behind the mission</h3>The team behind the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment, colloquially known as MOXIE, was led by principal investigator Michael Hecht from MIT but also includes collaborators from Caltech as well as OxEon Energy. Stationed on NASA&#39;s Perseverance rover, which was designed and managed by NASA JPL, this compact device is making interstellar history. <h3>The drive to innovate</h3>Fundamentally speaking, there will be a massive demand for oxygen in a society that is interplanetary &ndash; it is not only required to sustain life but is also necessary for the combustion of rocket fuel. The roots of MOXIE&#39;s endeavor trace back to the persistent challenge in space exploration: resource transport. Carrying massive oxygen tanks across the vast expanse between Earth and Mars is logistically daunting and downright uneconomical. Thus, the inception of MOXIE: to negate this transportation need by producing oxygen right on the Red Planet.Fast forward to today, MOXIE hasn&#39;t just met expectations; it&#39;s exceeded them. From the time of its Martian touchdown in February 2021, the instrument has not only produced oxygen consistently, but it has also done so under varied atmospheric conditions and at different times, day and night. Its performance, irrespective of the fluctuating Martian atmosphere, stands as a testament to its engineering excellence. <h3>MOXIE&#39;s breathtaking success</h3>Between its start-up in February 2021 and September 2023, MOXIE accumulated a total output of 122 grams of oxygen. At maximum operational capacity, the system produced 12 grams of oxygen each hour, achieving a purity level of 98% or higher. The consistent target was six grams of oxygen per hour, a rate comparable to the oxygen output of a standard terrestrial tree.&nbsp;MOXIE matched or exceeded both its purity and volume targets during this experiment.Impressively, MOXIE&#39;s oxygen production was also consistent across Mars&#39; intense seasonal variation. Because of vast differences in temperature between seasons, Mars&#39; atmospheric density can vary up to twofold throughout the year, which presents a dynamic environment for MOXIE&#39;s oxygen production. <h3>The secret sauce behind MOXIE</h3>The wizardry of MOXIE is both fascinating and profoundly technical, ingeniously designed to work under the highly variable Martian conditions.MOXIE begins its operations by first drawing in carbon dioxide-rich Martian air, which is filtered to rid contaminants. The air is subsequently pressurized and channeled through the Solid OXide Electrolyzer (SOXE), which was developed by OxEon Energy. SOXE electrochemically dissects the air into oxygen ions and carbon monoxide. The oxygen ions are skillfully isolated and recombined, resulting in molecular oxygen, or O2. Before releasing it back into the Martian atmosphere (alongside carbon monoxide and other gases), MOXIE conducts tests to determine whether the oxygen&#39;s quantity and purity meet the mark.&nbsp; <img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk1MjQ1NDc0MjM3LTY0OTBfTWFycy0yMDIwLU5BU0EtTU9YSUUtQ2FyYm9uLU94eWdlbi1mdWxsMi5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 518px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">NASA/JPL-CaltechFurthermore, accommodating MOXIE&#39;s function within the Perseverance rover&#39;s busy schedule demanded adaptability. Designed to operate intermittently, MOXIE&#39;s performance during various times of the Martian day and throughout diverse seasons showed its resilience. While full-scale versions of MOXIE are envisioned to run continually, the current design&#39;s episodic functioning has demonstrated robustness against potential wear and tear. <h3>Beyond the experiment</h3>Following MOXIE&#39;s success, the research group still sees lots of future work on the horizon for in-situ oxygen production, including designing a future full-scale system that is designed to run nonstop (the current system is designed to operate only in short bursts). The ultimate goal is to a dispatch larger version of MOXIE to Mars and allow it to produce and store up large quantities of oxygen to support future missions.All in all, this isn&#39;t just a technological win; it&#39;s a game-changer. MOXIE&#39;s proven ability to transform plentiful Martian carbon dioxide into oxygen means the dream of return flights from Mars &ndash; and perhaps eventual manned exploration &ndash; &nbsp;is a significant step closer. MOXIE has not just created oxygen but also started paving the path for humanity&#39;s next big interplanetary leap.

MOXIE successfully turned Martian carbon dioxide into usable oxygen – a monumental achievement with even bigger implications for the future of space exploration 


Breathtaking Success on Mars: MOXIE Experiment Delivers as Promised

<div data-mesh-id="comp-llgao0tzinlineContent" data-testid="inline-content"><div data-mesh-id="comp-llgao0tzinlineContent-gridContainer" data-testid="mesh-container-content"><div data-testid="richTextElement">Pushing the boundaries of space technology requires innovative thinking and the right tools for the job.The Scientific Workgroup for Rocketry and Spaceflight (<a href="https://warr.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WARR)</a> at the Technical University of Munich launched their cryogenic rocket 12.7 kilometers above the earth. See how the group transformed &ldquo;Project Cryosphere&rdquo; from an idea to a reality with critical parts made by <a href="http://www.makerverse.ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MakerVerse</a>. <img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkyNzcyMDEwOTc5LVJvY2tldCBpbiBmbGlnaHQuSlBHIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Project Cyrosphere successfully takes off. Photo credit: Matthew Swenson.<div data-testid="richTextElement" id="isPasted"><h3>The challenge: Blasting Off to 11 Kilometers</h3></div><div data-testid="richTextElement">Since its foundation in 1962, WARR has been no stranger to ambitious space-related projects. Within that group is WARR Rocketry, whose student members come from all backgrounds ranging from mechanical engineering to business.The team&rsquo;s previous altitude record was 4 kilometers. With Project Cyrosphere, they wanted to go far beyond. WARR knew they needed an impeccable design and perfect parts to achieve that goal. One of the significant challenges is the extreme conditions that the rocket would undertake. The 135-kilogram rocket would travel 3.5 times the speed of sound, undergoing intense strain until reaching the apogee. Every part must be precisely manufactured to handle severe heat and cold.Furthermore, the student group faced tight deadlines to complete the rocket in time for the scheduled launch in California (US).<div data-testid="richTextElement" id="isPasted"><h3>The solutions: MakerVerse for the Universe</h3><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkyNzcyNDQyMjQzLVdBUlIgcGFydHMgKEFwcHJvdmVkKSAoNCkucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The interior and exterior of the aluminum critical connectors made by MakerVerse. They&#39;re attached to carbon fiber.</div><div data-testid="richTextElement">WARR&rsquo;s rocket is made largely of carbon fiber, as this material combines strength with reduced weight. For the crucial connector interfaces, which connect the carbon fiber with the cryogenic tank and the upper segments of the rocket, WARR turned to MakerVerse.With MakerVerse&rsquo;s<a href="https://app.makerverse.ai/quote/upload" target="_self" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;on-demand manufacturing platform</a>, WARR gained access to the full range of manufacturing technologies and materials. In this case, <a href="https://www.makerverse.ai/cnc" target="_self" rel="noreferrer noopener">CNC machining&nbsp;</a>created these aluminum connectors to exact specifications. Considering the delicacy and difficult conditions, MakerVerse&rsquo;s attention to detail was critical.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjkyNzcyMjIwOTA1LVdBUlIgcGFydHMgKEFwcHJvdmVkKSAoMikucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 427px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The assembled structure.Throughout the process, MakerVerse provided very clear pricing and communications, which helped ensure all lead time expectations were met.<div data-testid="richTextElement" id="isPasted"><h3>The results: Reaching for the Stars</h3></div><div data-testid="richTextElement">With the successful launch of its cryogenic rocket WARR, gained invaluable date on supersonic flight and the performance of the hardware. This data will be put to use for other projects. The team already has other ambitious projects planned for the near future, including innovative new rocket designs. For these projects, WARR plans to work with MakerVerse again using a combination of additive manufacturing, CNC machining, and other technologies as needed.&ldquo;MakerVerse was a great partner for our manufacturing projects,&rdquo; said Francesco Longhetti, Head of WARR Rocketry. &ldquo;They helped save us a lot of time.&rdquo;</div></div></div></div></div></div>

See how the student group from Technical University of Munich reached an altitude of nearly 13 kilometers with their rocket launched in the US.  Some key components were made by MakerVerse, the on-demand manufacturing platform for industrial-quality parts. 

WARR Launches Cryogenic Rocket with Machined Parts

In this episode, we discuss the fascinating world of bioinspired robotics. Discover how researchers have created versatile robots inspired by nature's flight, rolling, and walking abilities.

Podcast: Mighty Morphing All Terrain Robots Made By Nature

This article was discussed in our <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/d276c196-937b-457c-ace1-49478d943a8b?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-gtm-yt-inspected-10="true" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> The full article will continue below.<hr>On the Moon, there are raw materials that humanity could one day mine and use. Various space agencies, such as the European Space Agency (ESA), are already planning missions to better explore Earth’s satellite and find minerals. This calls for appropriate exploration vehicles. Swiss researchers led by ETH Zurich are now pursuing the idea of sending not just one solitary rover on an exploration tour, but rather an entire team of vehicles and flying devices that complement each other.The researchers equipped three ANYmal – a type of legged robot developed at ETH – with a range of measuring and analysis instruments that would potentially make them suitable exploration devices in the future. They tested these robots on various terrains in Switzerland and at the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) in Luxembourg, where, a few months ago, the Swiss team won a European competition for lunar exploration robots together with colleagues from Germany. The competition involved finding and identifying minerals on a test site modelled after the surface of the Moon. In the latest issue of the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.ade9548" target="_blank">Science Robotics</a>, the scientists describe how they go about exploring an unknown terrain using a team of robots.<h2>Insurance against failure</h2>“Using multiple robots has two advantages,” explains Philip Arm, a doctoral student in the group led by ETH Professor Marco Hutter. “The individual robots can take on specialised tasks and perform them simultaneously. Moreover, thanks to its redundancy, a robot team is able to compensate for a teammate’s failure.” Redundancy in this case means that important measuring equipment is installed on several robots. In other words, redundancy and specialisation are opposing goals. “Getting the benefits of both is a matter of finding the right balance,” Arm says.<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bqwbQzVrzkQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-10="true" id="168277725" title="Robots for Lunar Exploration">&nbsp;</iframe>(Video: ETH Zurich with footage from the University of Zurich / IT Services, MELS)&nbsp;The researchers at ETH Zurich and the Universities of Basel, Bern and Zurich solved this problem by equipping two of the legged robots as specialists. One robot was programmed to be particularly good at mapping the terrain and classifying the geology. It used a laser scanner and several cameras – some of them capable of spectral analysis – to gather initial clues about the mineral composition of the rock. The other specialist robot was taught to precisely identify rocks using a Raman spectrometer and a microscopy camera.The third robot was a generalist: it was able to both map the terrain and identify rocks, which meant that it had a broader range of tasks than the specialists. However, its equipment meant that it could perform these tasks with less precision. “This makes it possible to complete the mission should any one of the robots malfunction,” Arm says.<h2>Combination is key</h2>At the ESRIC and ESA Space Resources Challenge, the jury was particularly impressed that the researchers had built redundancy into their exploration system to make it resilient to potential failures. As a prize, the Swiss scientists and their colleagues from the FZI Research Center for Information Technology in Karlsruhe, were awarded a one-year research contract to further develop this technology. In addition to legged robots, this work will also involve robots with wheels, building on the FZI researchers’ experience with such robots.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg5MzI0NTY5ODI1LWltYWdlLmltYWdlZm9ybWF0LjEyODYuMTE1MTEzNjAzNC5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The Swiss team with one of their legged robots and astronaut Matthias Maurer (centre) at the Space Resources Challenge. (Photograph: ETH Zurich)&nbsp;“Legged robots like our ANYmal cope well in rocky and steep terrain, for example when it comes to climbing down into a crater,” explains Hendrik Kolvenbach, a senior scientist in Professor Hutter’s group. Robots with wheels are at a disadvantage in these kinds of conditions, but they can move faster on less challenging terrain. For a future mission, it would therefore make sense to combine robots that differ in terms of their mode of locomotion. Flying robots could also be added to the team.The researchers also plan to make the robots more autonomous. Presently, all data from the robots flows into a control centre, where an operator assigns tasks to the individual robots. In the future, semi-autonomous robots could directly assign certain tasks to each other, with control and intervention options for the operator.<hr><h2 id="isPasted">Reference</h2>Arm P, Waibel G, Preisig J, Tuna T, Zhou R, Bickel V, Ligeza G, Miki T, Kehl F, Kolvenbach H, Hutter M: Scientific Exploration of Challenging Planetary Analog Environments with a Team of Legged Robots. Science Robotics, 12 June 2023, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.ade9548" target="_blank">10.1126/scirobotics.ade9548</a>

A team is greater than the sum of its parts – the trio of legged robots during a test in a Swiss gravel quarry. (Photograph: ETH Zurich / Takahiro Miki)

Swiss engineers are training legged robots for future lunar missions that will search for minerals and raw materials. To ensure that the robots can continue to work even if one of them malfunctions, the researchers are teaching them teamwork.

Robot team on lunar exploration tour

Caracol had the possibility of working with D-Orbit and the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Politecnico di Milano, thanks to the financed call 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗮 (𝗣𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗥 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟰-𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬) by Regione Lombardia, Caracol was able 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗔𝗔𝗠.&nbsp;As the final component is meant to be mounted on a carrier satellite to transport and release CubeSats into orbit, D-Orbit&#39;s input was essential to help pinpoint the functional characteristics the component needed, while Politecnico di Milano was fundamental for material characterization, optimizing process parameters, and qualifying the final product.From this first project and collaboration, it was possible to test first-hand the real advantages and potential, both in terms of product and process efficiencies, such as:&nbsp;<ul><li>𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 of complex parts with be-spoke geometries&nbsp;</li><li>𝗪𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 with a positive environmental impact due to propellant consumption and waste reduction&nbsp;</li><li>𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, eliminating the need to assemble several parts&nbsp;</li><li>𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 of 𝗿𝗮𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 and 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱&nbsp;</li><li>𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 and 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, if compared to traditional manufacturing</li></ul>

Caracol has introduced Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing to explore how to manufacture advanced applications such as space vehicles, leveraging the benefits of AM and robotics. This project enabled the production of propulsion tanks for CubeSat carrier space vehicles,

Manufacturing Tank for CubeSat Carrier with WAAM technology

Engineering Space is an in-depth documentary series that unveils the new generation of space technologies and the people and companies developing them. Engineers and entrepreneurs are democratizing access to space. Our goal is to enable you to understand the cutting-edge, be inspired, and discover practical insights to apply to your own engineering endeavors.In the first episode of Engineering Space we meet two engineers from Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic; Principal Mechanical Engineer Kerry Quinn and Lead Software Engineer Taylor Whitaker. The space company aims to make space missions feasible and more affordable for science, exploration, and commerce. They define themselves as a lunar logistics company, intending to provide end-to-end delivery services for payloads to the Moon.Astrobotic works out of the largest private facility in the world dedicated to lunar logistics. In this impressive 47,000-square-foot complex, The company builds and operates its lines of landers, rovers, autonomous spacecraft navigation systems, and other space technologies. Once operational, payloads will be controlled directly from the Astrobotic Mission Control Center inside their headquarters located in the heart of Pittsburgh&rsquo;s North Side.<h2 dir="ltr">Developing lightweight moon rovers</h2>The team is developing two rovers specifically for Moon exploration. The CubeRover&reg; is a super-light modular vehicle designed to provide affordable mobility for scientific instruments and other payloads to operate on the surface of the Moon. Because CubeRover&reg; can be as light as just four kilograms &mdash; it can contribute to reduced flight costs, making the Moon more accessible. &nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgzNjIzNTg3MTUwLVJvdmVyMi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The Astrorobotics CubeRover&reg;. Image credit: Astrobotics.The Polaris rover was designed to accommodate diverse lunar payloads with distinct mission profiles, like lunar regolith digging or water ice harvesting. Polaris can support up to 90 kg of payload mass, traverse long distances, and provide direct-to-Earth (DTE) communication. Companies, governments, universities, non-profits, and individuals can send payloads to the Moon on Polaris for $4.5M per kilogram of payload. For every kilogram of payload, Astrobotic can provide 0.5 W of continuous power and 10 kbps of bandwidth.In this episode of Engineering Space, we follow along with Astrobotic engineers as they do mobility testing on the engineering model of their CubeRover&reg;. It&#39;s the first time the team has tested the rover with its MLI (Multilayer Insulation) and electronics package. The testing will compare the engineering model with other models in development.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Mimicking the Moon&#39;s surface</h2>Testing rovers intended for the moon requires the careful creation of an environment that resembles the moon&#39;s surface as closely as possible. The tests are conducted in their test pit of lunar regolith, a material that mimics the fine powdery material covering the moon. Almost all of the moon&#39;s surface is covered in this fine, white powdery material, with only small areas of hard bedrock on the walls of very steep moon craters.&nbsp;Regolith materials are developed by NASA or other space companies. For example, the majority of the regolith used in the Astrobotic testing is made by the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/home/index.html" target="_blank">Glenn Research Center</a>. The regolith, known as GRC-1[1] is made from four kinds of quartz silica.&nbsp;Lunar regolith has compactibility properties[2], which means when it is agitated, it dilates or becomes lower in volume as the small particles fall between the larger particles. You can imagine this clearly by thinking of a container of flour that compacts when you tap it on a table. This is also how the iconic astronaut footprints were formed on the Moon.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgzNjIyMzQwNzUzLTEwLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The rover prototype during testing in the lunar regolith material.This quality of the regolith means that the lightweight rovers developed by Astrobotic are expected to sink down slightly when they are on the moon, rather than moving across its surface like a small rover would on sand on Earth.&nbsp;To mimic the moon without simulating in zero gravity, super lightweight versions of the rovers are developed that account for the difference in gravitational acceleration. Lunar gravitational acceleration is 1.62 m/s^2 (meters per second squared) while Earth&rsquo;s gravitational acceleration is 9.807 m/s^2 (meters per second squared). &nbsp;The moon rover weighs about 6 kg, so the testing version weighs just 1 kg.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Design of a lunar rover wheel that sinks and turns&nbsp;</h2>The moon surface tests enable the Astrobotic engineering team to look at each aspect of the rover, including its grip on the lunar regolith and the way it traverses different types of terrain, such as flat, ascents, and descents.&nbsp;A really critical part of the rover is the design of its wheels. They must be lightweight, robust to the extreme temperatures of the moon as well as suitable for the fine, flour-like conditions of the lunar surface. The Astrobotic rover has been tested with multiple types of wheels, sizes, widths, and materials.The current design of the wheel is fairly narrow, with regular perforations and grousers (protrusions similar to those on a tank) that allow the rover to move through the powdery surface. This design also enables the rover to complete movements such as figure-eights without the rover having a complex drive system such as articulated directional steering that would add extra weight.&nbsp;The engineering model of the rover being tested is reserved for special testing as it&#39;s the closest prototype to the finished product. To protect the high-value prototype, simultaneous testing happens on other simpler versions of the rover. These tests are often specific to a single task such as hill climbing.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgzNjIyMzgzODgzLTUuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The perforations and trousers enable the rover to navigate the soft terrain.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">A mission to make the moon accessible</h2>Astrobotic was founded in 2007 and currently has more than 130 employees. It has won several large contracts from NASA and has critical missions with the space agency planned. In addition to the rovers described above, Astrobotic has developed moon landers, a moon power grid, and vision technology.&nbsp;The company&#39;s first mission is set to be the first commercial mission to land on another planetary body. The Peregrine Rover will land on the Gruithuisen Domes of the moon and deliver a range of scientific instruments, technologies, mementos, and other payloads from six different countries, dozens of science teams, and hundreds of individuals. The date of the mission will be announced shortly.&nbsp;In 2024, Astrobotic will undertake the Griffin Mission One (GM1) &nbsp;to the Lunar South Pole. It will deliver NASA&rsquo;s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER). Griffin will land at the South Pole and deploy VIPER to conduct the first widespread ground truth measurements of lunar water ice. Such ice may one day be used for life support and propellant that could assist future deep space explorers. Some of the instruments on PM1 will be operated as a dress rehearsal for their use on VIPER. This GM1 contract was awarded under the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-lunar-payload-services" target="_blank">NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services &nbsp;(CLPS) &nbsp;initiative.&nbsp;</a><h2 dir="ltr">Learn more about cutting-edge space companies and technologies</h2>The Engineering Space documenatry series is a collaboration between engineering community platform Wevolver, and two independent Californian filmmakers and producers; <a href="https://flipbirdfilms.com/" target="_blank">Flipbird Films</a> and Green Run Productions. This first episode is sponsored by <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/duro" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Duro</a>, which develops Product Lifecycle Management software for hardware engineering teams.<blockquote><blockquote>Having previously worked at SpaceX, I know how tough it can be to create technology that can withstand the harsh environment of space. We&#39;re proud to sponsor this Engineering Space episode and help inspire engineers everywhere!</blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>Kellan O&#39;Connor, COO and Co-founder of Duro </blockquote></blockquote>Sign up below to get updates when a new &#39;Engineering Space&#39; episode gets released!<iframe src="https://c8056756.sibforms.com/serve/MUIEALrRLDzuUm9n0ZOf8rXFzimkYs9rS_nCzav7CGHGM8USNRBoKa4J5jwLh7jPqbBt7DQ-iIzGhsx_wFSBXNb4KPhpppkyJ93mD2PZJvl1pMCE9zXvsMc7hBtlPYgaIBDpec1zdrmpcCW6xuqC94Suy4YcAasZMu8t7DxX1EoakY6Xqdk8WBelkzJyrbq88OKqzHv_8A0UDOlT" scrolling="auto" allowfullscreen="" style="display: block;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;max-width: 100%;" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" width="540" height="305" frameborder="0"></iframe> <h2 dir="ltr">References</h2>1. Oravec HA, Zeng X, Asnani VM. Design and characterization of GRC-1: A soil for Lunar Terramechanics testing in earth-ambient conditions [Internet]. Pergamon; 2010 [cited 2023 May 9]. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022489810000388&nbsp;2. Oravec HA, Zeng X, Asnani VM. Design and characterization of GRC-1: A soil for Lunar Terramechanics testing in earth-ambient conditions [Internet]. Pergamon; 2010 [cited 2023 May 9]. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022489810000388

Space startup Astrobotic mimics the moon's surface material and tests various designs of new moon rovers.

Engineering Space. Episode 1: Developing lightweight rovers for lunar surface exploration

COWVR, at center, and TEMPEST, not shown, were installed aboard the International Space Station in late 2021 and since then have provided valuable weather data to forecasters tracking tropical cyclones. The two instruments are part of the U.S. Space Force STP-H8 demonstration mission. Credit: NASA

In this episode, we talk about a new satellite system from NASA that leverages technologies used in other missions to accomplish the same performance that has been delivered by heritage satellites but smaller and less complex while also being a fraction of the cost.

Podcast: Eye of The Storm: NASA's New Weather & Tropical Storm Tracking Sensors

In places across the U.S., tree cover is shrinking &ndash; forests are burned by wildfires on the West Coast and drowned by rising sea levels along the East. From the ground, it&rsquo;s hard to assess the scale of the losses and the effects disappearing trees have on atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and climate change.NASA research scientist Jon Ranson is working to improve new technologies for studying trees from above, so future Earth-observing missions can more accurately assess forest health.&ldquo;Trees do a huge service for the planet, in terms of sequestering carbon dioxide, taking it out of the atmosphere and putting it into wood,&rdquo; Ranson said, &ldquo;but trees are very sensitive to our changing climate. We&rsquo;re trying to see the changes going on in forest ecosystems. If you detect things early enough, you might be able to do something about it.&rdquo;When measured from aircraft and satellites, the wavelengths of light reflected by plants tell scientists about the amount of photosynthesis occurring, and therefore how much atmospheric carbon dioxide trees take up and store. The current standard for studying vegetation is called NDVI, or Normalized Differential Vegetation Index, which is the average of two broad portions of the infrared spectrum. NASA&rsquo;s NDVI record goes back 40 years, providing a low-resolution but accurate picture of forest health.While NDVI is good at assessing vegetation quantity and vigor broadly, Ranson said, breaking down infrared and visible light into many more wavelengths, a technology called hyperspectral imaging, can provide insight on plants&rsquo; water content, chlorophyll and even changes in health. &nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1679491783339-mlbs_landscape2+%281%29.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">In the Mountain Lake region near Blacksburg, VA, a National Ecological Observatory Network tower contains CO2 sensors that can help validate measurements taken by aircraft or satellites. Credits: Courtesy Jon Ranson&ldquo;Vegetation has these broad spectral properties,&rdquo; said Ian Adams, Earth Sciences Division Technologist at NASA&rsquo;s Goddard Space Flight Center. &ldquo;With hyperspectral imaging, you get lots of different measurements at smaller, closer together frequencies. There is a lot more information we can pull out if we can get better spectral resolution.&rdquo;By dramatically increasing the number of frequencies available for researchers to study, Ranson&rsquo;s work serves the priorities of the National Academies of Science&rsquo;s most recent Earth Science decadal survey, which determines the field&rsquo;s long-term priorities. The survey lists &ldquo;surface topography and vegetation,&rdquo; including forests, as a key area of study in need of more advanced technology.&nbsp;&ldquo;Strategically for NASA, and more broadly for the remote sensing community, hyperspectral is one of the areas we see as the future,&rdquo; Adams said.To make use of hyperspectral imaging by future orbital missions, data analysis techniques are first proven closer to the ground.Ranson&rsquo;s team fitted a Skyfish drone (UAV) from partner institution Virginia Tech with a visible and infrared (VIS/IR) hyperspectral camera and lidar equipment. They flew the imaging equipment over forests near Blacksburg, VA, in a region called Mountain Lake. Comparing their UAV observations with actual CO2 levels recorded by sensors on a nearby National Ecological Observatory Network tower, Ranson&rsquo;s team was able to refine calculations about how much carbon the forest removed from the atmosphere.These comparisons allowed them to further refine techniques for interpreting the hyperspectral data. For instance, Plants stressed by too much sunlight may release pigments to shield their chloroplasts, a condition his sensors can detect. If plants get too much shade, they may grow leaves with larger surface-areas, which can cause the sensor to overestimate plant productivity. Ranson wants to add short-wave infrared sensors to better distinguish reflections from leaves and other parts of plants, eliminating another possible source of error.<h2>The view from space: Seeing the forest for the trees</h2>Ranson&rsquo;s goal is to study forests on a global scale from space.&ldquo;We&rsquo;re trying to get the complete picture,&rdquo; Ranson said. &ldquo;So that when we go to space, we know how to find the answer to the question, &lsquo;Are our forests healthy? And if not, why not?&rsquo;&rdquo;Scientists and engineers at Goddard have been developing a mission concept called Concurrent Artificially intelligent Spectrometry and Adaptive Lidar System, or CASALS. If selected, CASALS would send a satellite with lidar and hyperspectral cameras into space. A constellation of such satellites could take the frequent measurements necessary to assess changes in forest productivity over time, using models perfected by Ranson&rsquo;s UAV flights.&ldquo;Forests take up as much carbon as the ocean does, yet forests cover only 9 percent of Earth&rsquo;s surface,&rdquo; said Ranson. &ldquo;So, if something goes wrong with our forests, it&rsquo;s a dramatic issue. We&rsquo;ve got this great, great resource in forests, and we need to care for them so they&rsquo;ll care for us.&rdquo;

In places across the U.S., tree cover is shrinking – forests are burned by wildfires on the West Coast and drowned by rising sea levels along the East. From the ground, it’s hard to assess the scale of the losses and the effects disappearing trees have on atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and climate change.

NASA To Measure Forest Health from Above

Online Manufacturing by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facturee.de/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FACTUREE</a>&nbsp;is exploring new spheres as&nbsp;<a href="http://www.spaceapplications.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Space Applications Services</a>, a specialist in space technology, decided to use the B2B platform for procuring complex components. These include parts for building prototypes and space qualification models used in aerospace applications. The CNC parts are manufactured with the highest level of precision and will be delivered with short turnaround times.&nbsp;Space Applications Services NV/SA, with headquarters in the Brussels region and a subsidiary, Aerospace Applications North America, in Houston, Texas (USA), specializes in the development of systems and software for the European Space Agency (ESA), national space agencies, and the aerospace industry. The company develops international solutions and technologies for manned and unmanned spacecraft, Earth observation, science, exploration, and communication in this sector.<h2>Special components needed for prototyping in robotics</h2>The aerospace sector is of great importance for Space Applications Services. To ensure the highest quality and reliability in this highly sensitive area, complex components are required for prototyping and what are known as space qualification models.Dr.-Ing. Torsten Siedel, Project Manager at Space Applications Services NV/SA, explains, &ldquo;We had to make changes in how we procure these components, as the previous supplier no longer met our requirements in terms of material quality, delivery times, and pricing. We then thoroughly researched providers and decided to collaborate with FACTUREE &ndash; The Online Manufacturer.&rdquo;FACTUREE is a trademark of cwmk GmbH and has a wide production network with around 2,000 manufacturing partners in the areas of CNC machining, sheet metal processing, 3D printing, and surface technology. More than 15,000 machines are constantly available for projects, ensuring timely deliveries. All partners comply with the requirements of a continuous data-driven, ISO 9001 certified quality management system.&nbsp;<h2>Online Manufacturing of high-quality CNC-machined parts</h2>FACTUREE &ndash; The Online Manufacturer supplies high-quality CNC parts to Space Applications Services, enabling the company to use a particularly modern form of procurement. With its online network model, FACTUREE is in a position to provide custom components manufactured by specialized providers with a high level of precision and ensure fast delivery. As the only contract partner involved, FACTUREE is responsible for selecting the most suitable manufacturer and handling the entire process.The procurement process for components is straightforward &ndash; engineers from Space Applications Services create drawings and 3D data that are submitted to FACTUREE. The Online Manufacturer then generates a quote within one to two days. After the order is placed and delivered, all parts undergo a quality inspection at Space Applications Services. Any reworking required is quickly implemented by FACTUREE.&ldquo;For more than two years, FACTUREE has supplied us with high-quality CNC parts for various applications and projects. In addition to the high quality, we appreciate the fast delivery times and attractive pricing. The professional, uncomplicated communication also allows us to solve problems quickly, again underscoring the reliability,&rdquo; says Dr.-Ing. Torsten Siedel, adding &ldquo;Considering our positive business development that will lead to an increasing demand for CNC parts, we will certainly continue to turn to FACTUREE with corresponding orders in the future.&rdquo;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1678364095780-SpaceApps-MOSAR_komp-300x201.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr>cwmk GmbH, based in Berlin, operates under the brand name FACTUREE as the first Online Manufacturer. The company pursues the goal of enabling its customers to procure modern production parts through digitization, automation and networking. FACTUREE has an extensive production network of over 1000 manufacturing partners from the fields of CNC machining, sheet metal production, 3D printing and surface technology. More than 15000 machines are constantly available for projects. All partners are subject to a continuous data-driven quality management system certified according to ISO 9001. FACTUREE can realize prototyping projects as well as small and large series production. The customer base is located in the most diverse fields such as mechanical engineering, medical technology, model making, robotics, automotive as well as aerospace. Leading industrial companies like Siemens and Parker Hannifin, SMEs, research institutes and universities are among the customers. FACTUREE is active throughout Europe and has a continuously growing number of customers in other European countries.&nbsp;

Engineering and service provider for the space technology sector turns to Online Manufacturing for procuring prototype components 

Online Manufacturing goes to space

As potential locations for future base camps, the lava caves on the moon are of great interest. But how can they be reached and explored? This has been investigated by a European consortium coordinated by the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in the project CoRob-X funded by the European Commission. In a final analog mission on Lanzarote, the project partners have now succeeded in proving the feasibility of their groundbreaking exploration concept based on robotic collaboration. They successfully demonstrated how a team of three autonomous rovers explores the entrance of a lava cave and enters the inside with a challenging rappel maneuver.&nbsp;A permanent station on the moon that can serve as a starting point for further exploration of our solar system is a crucial goal of international spaceflight. Optimal conditions for this could be found especially in hard-to-reach environments such as craters or lava tubes, which offer protection from radiation, meteorites, and temperature fluctuations. In addition, scientists suspect important resources such as frozen water in the lunar subsurface. However, before humans can venture into the depths of the Earth satellite, these promising locations are to be investigated by autonomous robots. But how do the robots get into the caves?While today&#39;s spaceflight still relies on remote-controlled stand-alone systems, the future belongs to autonomous collaborative robotics. In the CoRob-X (Cooperative Robots for Extreme Environments) project coordinated by the DFKI Robotics Innovation Center in Bremen, Germany, nine European partners have been investigating an ambitious exploration concept based on the cooperation of several autonomous robotic systems since March 2021. CoRob-X was one of the final projects of the Strategic Research Cluster (SRC) &quot;Space Robotics Technologies&quot;, which comprises several research projects that were funded under the European Commission&#39;s Horizon 2020 program and supervised by the PERASPERA Programme Support Activity (PSA). Within these projects, called Operational Grants, fundamental technologies or &ldquo;Building Blocks&rdquo; for robotic exploration missions were developed for use in future space missions &ndash; this includes an adaptive autonomy system for single and collaborative robots, a general software framework for sensor data fusion, environmental sensors for localization and 3D mapping, and a new electromechanical interface to couple robots to other systems or tools. The focus of CoRob-X was to test if the technologies developed in the SRC can be used to enable the robots to work as a team in the exploration of a lava tube. The scenario involves three heterogeneous autonomous rovers &ndash; the DFKI robots &quot;SherpaTT&quot; and &quot;Coyote III&quot; and the rover &quot;LUVMI-X&quot; from the Belgian company Space Applications Services NV/SA &ndash; jointly investigating the entrance to a lava cave, the so-called skylight. With the help of a sensor cube that LUVMI-X shoots into the skylight, the team obtains initial information from inside the cave. Based on this data, the systems determine a suitable location where the robust SherpaTT can support the compact Coyote III rappelling down into the lava tube using a wire rope. Once on the ground, the agile rover decouples from the rope and the docking mechanism and explores the cave. To prove the feasibility of this complex mission, around 25 project members traveled to Lanzarote from January 21 to February 11, 2023. After almost two years of intensive research and development work and several weeks of integration activities last September at the DFKI in Bremen, it was now the time to test the functionality of the technologies in a realistic environment. With its extensive lava tunnels, the volcanic island offers ideal conditions for carrying out analog missions like this one. The project team set up its tents right next to a lava cave entrance, an approximately five-meter-wide hole in the volcanic soil that granted access to the approximately four-meter-deep cave &ndash; the perfect place to extensively put the components and systems to the test and to carry out the individual mission phases. In the coming weeks, the participants were not only confronted with extremely changeable weather conditions, but also had to repeatedly overcome scientific and technical challenges, which sometimes demanded working hours late into the night. The three-week tests concluded with the final demonstration of the overall mission in front of external visitors, including representatives of the European Commission, the European Space Agency (ESA), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Spanish Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnol&oacute;gico Industrial (CDTI) and the French Centre national d&#39;&eacute;tudes spatiales (CNES). The first mission phase went smoothly, with the robotic team approaching the cave entrance while scanning and creating a map of the surrounding area. In the second stage, LUVMI-X carried the sensor cube through the skylight into the cave interior. To simulate the lunar drop velocities, an electric winch and cable were used to lower the cube. The data recorded in the process provided a precise 3D map of the cave entrance. The goal of the third mission phase was to reach the cave interior by lowering Coyote III. To do this, the rover docked via an interface to a cable and docking station provided by SherpaTT. A rope attached to it allowed it to slowly descend through the skylight and then land safely on the cave floor. Once down, the fourth and final phase of the mission began: Coyote III explored the unknown terrain and successfully created a map of the cave environment. Overall, the external guests were highly impressed by the performance of the entire CoRob-X team and considered the field tests a great success and a milestone for future long-term missions on the Moon. Christos Ampatzis, head of the Space Technologies Section at the European Commission&#39;s Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA), summarized:&nbsp;&quot;As the final episode in a series of projects of the Strategic Research Cluster on Space Robotics, CoRob-X has successfully integrated and demonstrated the developed technology building blocks in the context of a very ambitious and challenging space research scenario. We are very pleased that the project not only allowed us to demonstrate European capabilities in space robotics, but also to cross existing boundaries and lay the foundations for future space missions.&quot; Gianfranco Visentin, head of the Automation and Robotics Section at the European Space Agency (ESA) and coordinator of the PERASPERA Program Support Activity, highlighted the importance of analog testing for space research:&nbsp;&quot;Why do we perform analog tests? The reason is very simple. A natural environment contains a lot of things that we don&#39;t expect in the lab. In a real environment, such as a lava cave, which exists exactly like this on the moon, we can experience all the variability of conditions created by nature, and we can test the robustness of engineering systems that need to function in extreme situations.&quot; Dr. Thomas V&ouml;gele, project coordinator at DFKI, described the analog mission in Lanzarote as&nbsp;&quot;a real challenge for both researchers and robots. The exploration of a lava cave with three autonomous rovers has not been demonstrated in this form before CoRob-X. We&#39;ve shown that it&#39;s possible, and hopefully we&#39;re one step closer to a real lunar mission now.&quot; Just before the Lanzarote analog mission, the company GMV Aerospace and Defense SA and the Santa B&aacute;rbara Foundation had conducted field tests in a mine in northern Spain to demonstrate the functionality of the SRC technologies in a terrestrial application scenario. A rover and a drone from the Spanish GMV were used to inspect mining tunnels. In close cooperation, the systems succeeded in inspecting a shaft after an explosion to rule out possible hazards to humans.<hr>Further information Project website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.corob-x.eu/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.corob-x.eu/</a> CoRob-X Field Trials Blog, Lanzarote 2023 &ndash; In a multimedia blog, DFKI project members regularly reported on current events on site:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dfki.de/web/forschung/field-trials-lanzarote" target="_blank">https://www.dfki.de/web/forschung/field-trials-lanzarote</a>

A drone's eye view of the DFKI rovers SherpaTT (left) and Coyote III (center) as well as LUVMI-X from Space Applications Services NV/SA (right) at the skylight

As potential locations for future base camps, the lava caves on the moon are of great interest. But how can they be reached and explored? This has been investigated by a European consortium coordinated by the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in the project CoRob-X

Paving the way for long-term missions on the moon: European team of autonomous robots explores lava cave in Lanzarote

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Rozum Robotics

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DEEP Robotics

space

James Webb Space Telescope aims to take us to the unexplored realm of our cosmic origins. From observing the formation of the first stars and galaxies to looking for the possibility of life on other planets, the telescope will play a major role in the future of space exploration.

James Webb Space Telescope Science Instruments Explained

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James Webb Space Telescope Science Instruments Explained

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