Center Innovation Fund: JPL CIF
Prototyping Tensegrity Landers for Ultra-Low Cost Secondary Payloads on Unknown Terrain, Year 1
Project Description
The typical assumptions in EDL systems and conventional Tensegrity Systems are that structural elements (bars/cables) are inextensible. This is a good assumption of quasistatic events but does not hold for dynamic events. The first task is to develop a JPL point design for a tensegrity lander system. The full design space of tensegrity structures has not been explored. We will use a secondary, standalone (parasitic), instrument system as a point design for maturing JPL's understanding of tensegrity systems. The end goal is a prototype lander.
More »
Anticipated Benefits
The novel lander system is capable of going places where rovers and current landers can't go, for example slopes, crevasses, loose soil/ice. It could be used as a secondary payload that offers redundant mission success, images from a new world (Philae as cautionary tale). Eventually primary landing using tensegrity opens new DV regime vs. airbag- and Skycrane-based approaches, potentially increased science per $.
More »
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) | Lead Organization | FFRDC/UARC | Pasadena, California |
Ames Research Center
(ARC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Moffett Field, California |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus (GA Tech) | Supporting Organization | Academia | Atlanta, Georgia |
|
Johnson Space Center
(JSC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Houston, Texas |
|
Langley Research Center
(LaRC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Hampton, Virginia |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Supporting Organization | Academia | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
California
-
Georgia
-
Texas
-
Virginia
Suggest an Edit
Recommend changes and additions to this project record.