LUNAR-CONNECT

Members

Maria Bonina Zimath Electrical Engineering	Eli Couture Electrical Engineering	Brandon Nguyen Computer Engineering	Nina Tran Computer Engineering

Reviewers

Dr. Mike Conroy	Dr. Saleem Sahawneh	Dr. Mike Borowczak	Dr. Xun Gong

Sponsor

Florida Space Institute - Dr. Mike Conroy

Project Description

Lunar exploration requires contribution from many teams from multiple different institutions. By developing a system of rovers, this project will make significant contributions to the future of Moon exploration.

There are many benefits that come along with creating a mesh network of rovers. One of them is that the operators will be allowed to avoid certain areas according to whether there is already another rover located there. This can improve safety and avoid collision as the operators will have data on rovers' locations along with live feed camera footage. Another benefit is the optimization of exploration strategies by avoiding redundant data collection. By gathering data of each of the rovers' locations, engineers will be able to conduct analysis on the areas that have and have not been explored by each rover, enabling better strategies when exploring new areas as well as returning to previously explored areas. Another benefit is efficient task tracking. By looking at the rovers' path and location, engineers can better understand how tasks were conducted and the most efficient exploration paths for each task. This technology also takes a step towards autonomy, since the camera footage can be eventually fed into an autonomous program for collision avoidance or even self driving.

This project is primarily intended to open the possibility for rovers to receive each other's location as well as sharing their own, creating a mesh network of rovers. Components will be added to facilitate the exchange of data such as a microcontroller unit with an antenna that sends signals to a communication tower. The project also includes doubling the power supply so that the rover can go longer distances for a longer period of time. This will enable the rover to explore wider sites as well as be more resistant to environmental obstacles such as hills, which require much more energy than a flat surface.

The project will also include a camera, which will facilitate the driving experience for operators. This data can also be used to visually evaluate sites in real time. Another possible use of this technology is if one of the rovers has a malfunction. A second rover can use that rover's location to find it and provide live footage of the malfunctioning rover, which can help operators diagnose the issue. This data can also be used for public engagement since the footage of the rovers on the Moon can be great content for outreach.