An Autonomy Architecture for Aerobot Exploration of the Saturnian Moon Titan

You are here: Homepage > Search

An Autonomy Architecture for Aerobot Exploration of the Saturnian Moon Titan

Elfes, Alberto / Hall, Jeffery L. / Kulczycki, Eric A. / Clouse, Daniel S. / Morfopoulos, Arin C. / Montgomery, James F. / Cameron, Jonathan M. / Ansar, Adnan / Machuzak, Richard J.

Abstract

The Huygens probe arrived at Saturn's moon Titan on January 14, 2005, unveiling a world that is radically different from any other in the Solar system. The data obtained, complemented by continuing observations from the Cassini spacecraft, show methane lakes, river channels and drainage basins, sand dunes, cryovolcanos and sierras. This has lead to an enormous scientific interest in a follow-up mission to Titan, using a robotic lighter-than-air vehicle (or aerobot). Aerobots have modest power requirements, can fly missions with extended durations, and have very long distance traverse capabilities. They can execute regional surveys, transport and deploy scientific instruments and in-situ laboratory facilities over vast distances, and also provide surface sampling at strategic science sites. This paper describes our progress in the development of the autonomy technologies that will be required for exploration of Titan. We provide an overview of the autonomy architecture and some of its key components. We also show results obtained from autonomous flight tests conducted in the Mojave desert.

Access

Access via TIB

Check availability in my library

Export, share and cite

Document information

Title :

An Autonomy Architecture for Aerobot Exploration of the Saturnian Moon Titan

Contributors:

Elfes, Alberto (author) / Hall, Jeffery L. (author) / Kulczycki, Eric A. (author) / Clouse, Daniel S. (author) / Morfopoulos, Arin C. (author) / Montgomery, James F. (author) / Cameron, Jonathan M. (author) / Ansar, Adnan (author) / Machuzak, Richard J. (author)

Conference:

IEEE Aerospace 2008 ; 2008 ; Big Sky, MT, United States

Publication date :

2008-03-01

Type of media :

Conference paper

Type of material :

No indication

Language :

English

Keywords :

Titan , Saturn , Huygens probe , aerobots , Cybernetics, Artificial Intelligence And Robotics