改進月球挖掘機器人，NASA需要您的幫助

改進月球挖掘機器人，NASA需要您的幫助

A new era of lunar exploration and science is about to begin, but in order for NASA to make the most of it, it has to have all the right technology ready to roll. One of the gadgets NASA wants to send to the Moon is a digging robot. The agency has already made plenty of progress on this front, building the RASSOR (Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot) bot and testing various versions of its hardware.

一個月球探測和科學(xué)的新時代即將開始，但是為了讓美國宇航局充分利用它，我們必須準(zhǔn)備好所有適合的技術(shù)。美國國家航空航天局想把一個挖掘機器人送到月球上。該機構(gòu)已經(jīng)在這方面取得了很多進展，建造了RASSOR(Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot)機器人，并測試了各種版本的硬件。

But NASA can’t do it alone, and it has issued a call for help in designing one very important component of the RASSOR robot: its collection drum.

但NASA不能獨自完成，它已經(jīng)發(fā)出呼吁，呼吁社會幫助設(shè)計拉索機器人的一個非常重要的組成部分：它的收集桶。

We’ve all seen footage of the Moon missions, with its dusty surface that appears perfect for easy collection. Unfortunately, gathering material from the surface is made more complicated by the Moon’s low gravity, and the fact that anything we send to the Moon has to be light enough to be flown on a rocket.

我們都看過月球飛行任務(wù)的鏡頭，其塵土飛揚的表面看起來很容易收集。不幸的是，由于月球的低重力，從月球表面收集物質(zhì)變得更加復(fù)雜，而且我們發(fā)送到月球的任何東西都必須足夠輕才能在火箭上飛行。

A massive, heavy robot could easily get traction and dig to its heart’s content, but such hardware simply can’t be reliably delivered to the lunar surface. Instead, a lightweight machine is needed, and that means developing new solutions. RASSOR has to be able to get traction and dig and do so without weighing a ton.

一個巨大、笨重的機器人可以很容易地獲得牽引力，并挖掘到它的核心內(nèi)容，但這樣的硬件根本無法可靠地運到月球表面。相反，我們需要一個輕量級的機器，而這意味著要開發(fā)新的解決方案。拉索爾必須在不重的情況下得到牽引力和挖掘。

“With RASSOR, we’re no longer relying on the traction or the weight of the robot. It is possible to excavate on the Moon or Mars with a really lightweight robot,” NASA’s Jason Schuler said in a statement. “RASSOR is excavation and transportation all in one, but we’d like to improve the design.”

“有了拉索爾，我們不再依賴機器人的牽引力或重量。”美國宇航局的杰森·舒勒在一份聲明中說：“用一個非常輕的機器人在月球或火星上進行挖掘是可能的。”。“拉索爾是集挖掘和運輸于一體的，但我們希望改進設(shè)計。”

The robot’s digging drum will dig up material and then deliver it to a different location. This process has to be as efficient as possible, which is why NASA is now asking for suggestions.

機器人的挖掘鼓將挖掘材料，然后將其運送到不同的位置。這一過程必須盡可能高效，這就是NASA現(xiàn)在征求建議的原因。

RASSOR’s current bucket drums are hollow cylinders positioned on either end of the robot, with scoops around the circumference of the cylinders. The robot digs in opposing ends toward the other, which balances the excavation forces and makes it easier to dig.

拉索爾目前的鏟斗鼓是位于機器人任一端的空心圓柱體，鏟子圍繞著圓柱體的圓周。機器人在相對的一端朝另一端挖掘，這平衡了挖掘力并使挖掘更加容易。

To see if the digging bot can be made even better, NASA’s RASSOR Bucket Drum Design Challenge is now open for submissions. The agency is asking for 3D models of new designs that can meet NASA’s requirements, including the ability for the drum to be able to be filled at least 50% before having to be emptied.

為了了解挖掘機器人是否可以做得更好，NASA的拉索爾桶鼓設(shè)計挑戰(zhàn)賽現(xiàn)已開始接受報名。該機構(gòu)正在尋求能夠滿足NASA要求的新設(shè)計3D模型，其中包括能夠?qū)⒐耐爸辽偬畛?0%，然后再將其清空的能力。

Those who are up to the challenge and wish to submit a design have until April 20th.

那些接受挑戰(zhàn)并希望提交設(shè)計的人，必須在4月20日之前提交。