Cliffbot CRV

Description: Vertical exploration robot; lowered down by a human to explore steep terrain
PI: Dr. Alain Souchier
Organization: Association Planète Mars, FR

Summary

The Cliff Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) is a demonstrator to test the ability to send and retrieve instruments on various slopes ranging from vertical and overhangings to 45 ° or less which would be too dangerous for access by an astronaut exploring a planet. Cliffs are a location where layers tell a long geological story and thus are interesting to explore by cameras or other instruments. The Morroco campaign will allow testing in new conditions and probably higher cliffs than those on which runs were conducted till now.

Objectives

According to available views of the area selected, one new condition which could be experimented in Morocco is higher cliffs. Till now the maximum tested was at around 18 m. 50 m could be a goal.

• to use the on board video hazcam to monitor the vehicle situation during the run. Improvements are planned compared to the present single view transmitted to the operator.
• to test again the vehicle operations with a simulated spacesuit.
• to test the usefulness of camera pictures to get information on the cliff layers. This is a limited objective however because it is recognized that other instruments than a camera should be carried by an operational vehicle to acquire more information on the layers.

Experiment Data

Additional Publication