Physical Sciences Inc.

20 New England Business Center Andover, MA 01810

VG00-143
A System of Mesoscale Biomimetic
Roboswimmers for Exploration and
Search for Life on Europa
Presented by:
Thomas W. Vaneck
Presented to:
NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC)
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
6 June 2000
-2 VG00-143
Are There Europans?
Origin of Life on Earth
shallow water photosynthesis?
deep-ocean chemosynthesis?
If Europa has conditions
similar to those found near
Earths hydrothermal vents
could life exist there?
Over 300 species have been
found to thrive near these
vents.
-3 VG00-143
Europa
Second moon of Jupiter (5.2 AU), with
radius 1569 km and orbital period
about 3.5 days
Surface can be divided into two major
subdivisions:
lineated plains
dark mottled terrain
Both radiogenic and tidal heating present
Surface exhibits little cratering, indicative
of either a youthful surface or a surface
regeneration process
Europa
-4 VG00-143
Problems with Searching for Life on Europa
Far away - 5.2 AU (778,330,000 km)
Liquid ocean is below a thick (?) ice crust
Ocean may be many km deep (high pressure)
Life will probably only exist in small zones how plentiful are they?
What will be the characteristics of the Europans?
-5 VG00-143
Our Concept of Europa Exploration
We believe that teams of many small roboswimmers are required to
efficiently explore Europas ocean
We are focusing on technologies that will become available over
the next few decades
We want to capitalize on Natures experience biomimetic
While our concepts infrastructure is invariant, the form and
function of our proposed roboswimmers is tied to the geophysical
character of Europas ocean
-6 VG00-143
Europa Ocean Exploration System
Europa
Orbiter
Antenna
Mechanical
Anchor
ICE
~1-10 km
~10-100 km
Hydro
Thermal
Plume
Acoustic
Beacon
RTG
Transmitter Elec.
Elec.
RTG
Transmitter
Acoustic
Beacon
Ocean Floor
WATER
String of Microwave
Communication Nodes
E-5004
Node-Hopping
Communication Link
Through Ice
Figure Not
to Scale
Robo-
Swimmers
Hydro
Thermal
Plume
Ice
Layer
-7 VG00-143
Phase I Technical Objectives
Define the objectives of a robotic exploration mission to Europa.
Define specific physicochemical measurements (parameters and
ranges) which characterize the ice/ocean environment and the
existence of primitive ecosystems on Europa.
Develop the functional attributes for autonomous robots necessary
to perform the above measurements. For these attributes, define
the classes or types of biomimetic robots and the sensing,
actuation, and locomotion capabilities needed for individual
robots.
Define how the different classes of autonomous roboswimmers will
self-organize and cooperate.
Identify the technological infrastructures necessary to develop the
system of self-organizing roboswimmers and their delivery
into oceans underneath Europas ice layers.
-8 VG00-143
Define Robotic Exploration Mission Objectives
Answer these questions
What are the physical and chemical
characteristics of Europas ocean environment?
What are the characteristics of the ice sheet?
What in situ data should/could be collected?
Where might life exist near ice, mid-water
column, sea floor, in sediments?
What will prove the existence of Europans?
If life exists how should we study it?
-9 VG00-143
Develop Functional Attributes and Design Concepts
for Autonomous Roboswimmers
Efficient ocean characterization and search for life requires
the use of multiple cooperating autonomous vehicles teams
Biomimetic systems design modest sensors, limited
computational power, colony behaviors
Vehicle design driven by environment
Limited knowledge will lead to morphing vehicle concepts
-10 VG00-143
Hydrothermal Vent Exploration Concept
Robotic eels Robotic seahorses
Dorsal Fin
Anal Fin
USBL Transducer Array
Optical Imaging
Sensor
Chemical and Physical
Properties Sensors
Tactile Sensor
Articulate Tail
Pectoral Fins
E-5031
Flow
Sensors
Electronics Power Articulated
Fore Body
Articulated
Aft Body
Robotic Sea Horse
Payload/Ballast
MID Section
USBL and
Communicator
Transducer
Array
USBL and
Communicator
Transducer
Array
E-5032
-11 VG00-143
Define Functional Attributes of Self-Organizing,
Cooperating Group of Autonomous Roboswimmers
Limited energy requires coordinated, cooperating team of
autonomous vehicles.
Goal Setting and Global Control - A layered coordinated,
cooperating autonomous vehicle architecture will be developed.
Swarm Group Individual.
Interaction Dynamics - Architectures will be defined that control
inter-vehicle interactions. This includes eel-to-eel, eel-to-seahorse,
and seahorse-to-seahorse coordination.
Vehicle Control Architectures that allow for fine control of
individual vehicles.
-12 VG00-143
Identify technological infrastructures
We will identify the infrastructures necessary for the development
of a system of intelligent, biomimetic swimmers for making
measurements that characterize the existence of life and the
ice/ocean environment on Europa.
Address the issue of delivery of the system to Europa and its
penetration through the ice layers on its way to the ocean.
-13 VG00-143
Europa Missions
Europa Orbiter, 2007 launch, Phase B funded
instruments: 300 m resolution visible imaging, ground
penetrating radar (~ few km), altimetry (gravity and tides)
penetrator possible, but unlikely
Europa Lander
short and deep penetrators
materials composition measurements
Europa Ocean Observer
verify presence of liquid layer, measure ice thickness, image surface
identify potential landing regions
Europa Ice Clipper
JPL Discovery proposal (not funded)
sample return mission
impactor ejects material, intercepted by clipper at 50 km above Europa
Europa samples analyzed during return trip, re-entry vehicle brings
sample back to earth
Proposed roboswimmer mission ~ 2020-2025
turbidity, temperature stratification, chemical composition,
acoustic propagations, currents, . . .
-14 VG00-143
Phase II Approach
Phase II: 24 months
Demonstrate feasibility of key engineering challenges
penetration through ice, deployment of communication nodes
along path, and release of payload under water, inter-robot
communication, tracking simulated swimmers . . .
US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory
facilities
Demonstrate feasibility of key roboswimmer technologies
collective behavior (simulation/analysis)
inter/intra species communication and collaboration
-15 VG00-143
Phase III Approach
Phase III: 36 months
Demonstrate the penetration and hardware deployment
implementation in field and communication through ice
Antarctic subglacial lakes (Vostok) or
Resolute Bay, Northwest Territories (Canada)
Navy penetration experiments 1993
several feet thick ice over several hundred feet deep water
support facilities
relatively inexpensive
Develop roboswimmer prototype(s) and demonstrate
measurements, and communications and control
capabilities, collaborative operations
functional devices, not necessarily highly compact
b
-16 VG00-143
NIAC 22
nd
Annual Meeting
Europa Explorer Update