Miniaturized Interrogation System for Marsupial Rover Sensing Tether, Phase I

Luna proposes to continue development of its marsupial rover sensing tether (MaRS Tether) technology by miniaturizing the sensor's interrogation system. Luna is currently engaged in a Phase II SBIR with NASA JPL (contract NNX13CP33P) to develop a revolutionary technology that monitors the distributed tension, curvature, and path of a tether that connects a marsupial rover robot to its base station. This sensing tether turns a passive cable that provides power and communication into a powerful tool that provides information about the health and state of both the rover and the tether, alerting the base station to possible pinch points, snagged cables, or high tension due to poor traction or steep slope encountered by the rover. Luna proposes to miniaturize the interrogation system of the MaRS Tether to enable JPL to realize the full potential of the rover. Reducing the size, weight, and power (SWaP) of the tether system will allow the rover to be tested in multiple realistic scenarios. In addition, miniaturization is the first step in preparing the entire sensing tether system for flight-readiness for missions to Mars, asteroids, and the rest of the Solar System.