This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Modern space exploration hasn't quite reached "Star Trek" levels of boldly going where no one has gone before. But if, like the denizens of the USS Enterprise, astronauts one day want to land on an uncharted planet, they'd first want to know what's on—and under—the surface.
Virginia Tech research could clear the way for that with a new set of tools that scan vibrations in terrain to determine how far below the surface rocks extend. And it's not science fiction. Erik Komendera, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, once worked as an engineer at the NASA Langley Research Center.
His latest research with Ph.D. candidate Yiyan Ruan, published in IEEE Sensors Journal, may help rovers to land safely on Mars, the moon or other largely unexplored planets. It could also have earthbound applications, such as analyzing construction or disaster scenarios when potential hazards are buried. Factors such as the elevation and roughness of terrain and the height of rocks affect options for where to put down a spacecraft on current missions to Mars.
If a rock is in the way of a potential landing surface, a robotic excavator could chip away at it. But if the rock is actually a buried boulder, that robot shouldn't waste energy and wear out tools trying to remove something that is immovable. "For as long as humans have built things on Earth, we have had to deal with large and heavy obstacles that cannot simply be ignored or scooped out of the way without careful planning," Komendera said.
"It's easy enough for us to just look at rocks and make some quick, testable judgments. Is this rock resting or partially buried? Can I move this alone or do I need help and tools?
But what if robots need to do this? How can robots make those judgments? Now we have an answer." Komendera is putting together a set of tools that could save the excavators a lot of work.
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