Researchers enlist robot swarms to mine lunar resources

Date:
September 9, 2021
Source:
University of Arizona College of Engineering
Summary:
Building a base on the moon was once something out of science
fiction, but now scientists are starting to consider it more
seriously.

Researchers are investigating methods for mining lunar resources
to build such a base, using swarms of autonomous robots.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
With scientists beginning to more seriously consider constructing bases
on celestial bodies such as the moon, the idea of space mining is growing
in popularity.


========================================================================== After all, if someone from Los Angeles was moving to New York to build a
house, it would be a lot easier to buy the building materials in New York rather than buy them in Los Angeles and lug them 2,800 miles. Considering
the distance between Earth and the moon is about 85 times greater, and
that getting there requires defying gravity, using the moon's existing resources is an appealing idea.

A University of Arizona team, led by researchers in the College of
Engineering, has received $500,000 in NASA funding for a new project to
advance space-mining methods that use swarms of autonomous robots. As
a Hispanic-Serving Institution, the university was eligible to receive
funding through NASA's Minority University Research and Education Project
Space Technology Artemis Research Initiative.

"It's really exciting to be at the forefront of a new field," said
Moe Momayez, interim head of the Department of Mining and Geological Engineering and the David & Edith Lowell Chair in Mining and Geological Engineering. "I remember watching TV shows as a kid, like 'Space:
1999,' which is all about bases on the moon. Here we are in 2021, and
we're talking about colonizing the moon." Blast Off! According to the
Giant Impact Hypothesis, Earth and the moon came from a common parent
body, so scientists expect their chemical compositions to be relatively similar. Mining on the moon's surface could turn up rare earth metals
needed for technologies such as smartphones and medical equipment,
titanium for use in titanium alloys, precious metals such as gold and
platinum, and helium-3 -- a stable helium isotope that could fuel nuclear
power plants but is extremely rare on Earth.



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To mine for ore embedded in rock on Earth, miners need to drill through
the rock, which is one of Momayez's specialties. He's developed an electrochemical process to drill through rock five times faster than
any other method. But lunar mining presents a new challenge.

"Here on Earth, we have an unlimited amount of energy to throw at breaking rocks," he said. "On the moon, you have to be a lot more conservative. For example, to break rocks, we use a lot of water, and that's something we
won't have on the moon. So, we need new processes, new techniques. The
most efficient way to break rocks on Earth is through blasting, and
nobody has ever set off a blast on the moon." Robot Swarms, Powered
by HEART Finding the best way to mine lunar materials from a laboratory
space on Earth is a tall order for humans. That's where autonomous robot
swarms come in.

Jekan Thanga, an associate professor of aerospace and mechanical
engineering, is adapting a neuromorphic learning architecture technique,
which he developed in his lab, called the Human and Explainable Autonomous Robotic System, or HEART. The system not only will train robots to work together on mining, excavation and even building tasks, but it will also
allow the robots to improve their collaboration skills over time.



==========================================================================
The team plans to build and train the robots here on Earth, so they can practice. Ultimately, the researchers envision a fully autonomous swarm
of robots that doesn't need to receive instructions from Earth to mine materials and construct simple structures.

"In a sense, we're like farmers. We're breeding talent out of these
creatures, or a whole family of creatures, to do certain tasks," Thanga
said. "By going through this process, we help perfect these artificial creatures whose job it is to do the mining tasks." The team still
considers humans a critical part of space exploration, but these robot
swarms could free up astronauts to focus on other critical mission
elements.

"The idea is to have the robots build, set things up and do all the dirty, boring, dangerous stuff, so the astronauts can do the more interesting
stuff," Thanga said.

Students Play a Key Role Momayez and Thanga aren't alone in their
enthusiasm. One of the reasons they decided to pursue this venture is
that undergraduate students are so interested in it.

"Every time I got out and talk about space exploration, there's really a
storm of students who are enthusiastic about mining," Thanga said. "Seeing
all these students inspired to get involved has been a big drive."
Thanga's ASTEROIDS Laboratory runs a NASA-funded Undergraduate Research
and Education Program, in which students spend a year leading their own research projects. In the past, students in the program have presented
their work at conferences and worked on journal papers. With the new
NASA funding, Momayez and Thanga intend to add a module to the program
focused on space mining.

Students will learn about both autonomous robot swarms and excavation techniques -- in the classroom, in the laboratory and even in the
university's student-run San Xavier Mine.

"They can test their robots at the mine, they can excavate,
they can drill, they can blast," Momayez said. "And with the
establishment of the new School of Mining and Mineral Resources, we
hope to get more students from all over the world involved in mining." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Arizona_College_of_Engineering. Original written by Emily Dieckman. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


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Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210909124202.htm

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