National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The Challenge To harness these resources in preparation for human habitation, the proper feedstock first needs to be The Solution acquired. But the reduced gravity on the moon, Mars, comets and asteroids Small, inexpensive, lightweight poses a major challenge for digging and solutions are desirable. Kennedy’s traction during mining operations. Swamp Works is currently developing technologies to push the boundaries of Terrestrial designs for soil excavation space mining and resource utilization. The use the significant weight of the current mining robot is named RASSOR machine to create traction and counter 2.0. RASSOR, which stands for Regolith excavation reaction forces, but on Advanced Surface Systems Operations extraterrestrial surfaces, the reduced Robot, is a 66 kg mass micro-excavator gravity does not provide high weights. featuring two novel counter-rotating bucket In addition, space transportation is drums. RASSOR is an all-in-one solution: it expensive and limited in capacity. can dig, load, haul, dump and trench. One Launch costs and packaging constraints day a swarm of RASSORs may operate of sending traditional heavy and large together autonomously on the moon or excavators into space are prohibitive. Mars preparing for human presence.

Robert P. Mueller Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations Lab [email protected] • (321) 867-2557 www.nasa.gov SP-2017-01-006-KSC RASSOR 2.0 Features • Dual counter rotating bucket drums for canceling horizontal excavation forces • 66 kg mass • 80 kg payload capacity per excavation cycle • 0.25 m/s driving velocity • Obstacle detection, avoidance and traversing

Bucket Drums • Designed to hold a total of 80kg of regolith • Scoops are clocked from one another to reduce the excavation forces and to keep the drums anchored to the surface while digging • The rake angle of the scoops was designed where the scoops would act as self-anchoring once engaged into the regolith

Automation and Software Potential Benefits • RASSOR 2.0 utilizes Robot Operating For every kilogram of landed mass System (ROS) (hardware mass + including terrestrial o Xsens IMU, stereo cameras and propellants): actuator feedback use sensor o A LOx/LCH4 ISRU system can fusion techniques to close the loop produce 20 kg of propellant for autonomy o A LOx-only ISRU system can o During excavation the auto dig produce 4 kg of propellant routine balances the excavation o Harnessing the Mars regolith water load on each drum by sensing for ISRU offers a 5-times torque on the drums and adjusting improvement over Mars ISRU the height of the arm atmosphere processing alone.