CableCat Powering the PSR

Objectives & Technical Approach

  • Establish power infrastructure to the Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs) on the lunar surface of scientific interest.
  • Extend the missions of science robots operating within a PSR by providing a power supply station and relieving the burden that they be 100% self-sufficient.
  • Develop an autonomous 2-wheeled spool (rover) to navigate into the desired a PSR, unspooling the power/data cable.
  • The design of the spool guarantees it always in right posture while traveling on uncertain terrain.

Team

The team working on the CableCat project.
Title Name   
Team Lead Andrew Barth (PhD Student)  
Mechanical Design Changchun Wu, Jiaqi Wang, Junming Shan, Qiyong Yang  
Lunar Environment Tim Hammer, Michael Saxer  
Control, Stabilization Prithev Govindasamy Srinivasan  
Prototype Construction Caleb Bisig  
Cable Design Trent Gatz  
Navigation & Mapping William Kelly, Michael Burgess, Daniel Shircliff  
Cameras Selena Laikos, Vincent Iskander  
Faculty Advisors Dr. Ou Ma, Dr. Janet Dong, Dr. Shabaan Abdallah  

Project Status

  • Completed system design and analysis
  • Completed a ready-to-build design
  • Prototype work on hold due to COVID19 shutdown

Publications

  • A. Barth, C. Bisig, O. Ma and J. Dong, “CableCat: An Autonomous System to Develop Power and Data Infrastructure on the Moon”, 2020 IFA International Astronautical Congress (IAC), 12-14, Dubai, October , 2020.
  • A. Barth, C. Bisig, O. Ma and J. Dong, “Prototype design …”, to be submitted to AIAA ASCEND 2020.