ESA - Robotics - Planetary Utilisation Testbed

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Automation & Robotics

Automation and Robotics in Space

Applications in Earth Orbit Applications for Planetary Exploration

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Research and Development Support to ESA Programmes

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Conferences and Symposia Training

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Planetary Utilisation Testbed

The EUROBOT Testbed Internal Automation and Robotics Testbed Computer Tools Measurement Systems ISO 9001:2000

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	The Planetary Utilisation Testbed at ESTEC

Planetary Utilisation Testbed

The Planetary Utilisation Testbed (PUT) at the ESTEC Robotics Laboratories has been constructed to help testing robotic devices for planetary surface operations. The testbed is composed of square 8x8 m terrain area filled with various sizes of sand, gravel and rock. The terrain has four different areas:

a small crater
a boulder field
a sandy dune
a gravel slope area

Uses

The PUTB is used for:

Evaluation of Robotics Developments carried out by ESA and Industry for ESA
Sub-system Testing for Planetary Exploration Robotics
Public Relation Purposes

The PUTB is a major user of the lab Measurement Systems. The motion of robots on/over the terrain can be tracked using the RODYM system. The geometry of the terrain is routinely acquired by means of the RIEGL laser scanner.

In the past, the testbed has been used for:

Support for development and Assessment of planetary mobile robots locomotion strategies (PROLERO, SOLERO, EXOMADER)
Testing of payload accommodation on rovers for EuroMoon Project Support (LRM)
Assessment of drilling techniques (MIRO)
Assessment or localisation / automatic navigation technologies (Nanokhod, Payload Support for Planetary Exploration, PlanetMicroCam)
Demonstration of rovers, aerobots in the course of the ASTRA and i-SAIRAS conferences

Last update: 30 November 2006

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