Psyche Asteroid Surface Explorer

Our team has developed a robotic explorer concept for traversing extraterrestrial solid bodies in microgravity environments. The design seeks to address the rigorous surface characteristics of Psyche, a metal rich asteroid roughly 140 mi in diameter which currently resides in the asteroid belt between mars and Jupiter. Psyche is of particular interest due to its unique metallic composition, size, and proximity to earth making it a prime candidate for future exploration and possible space mining operations. A current NASA mission launched in 2023 is set to intercept and orbit Psyche in mid 2029 to map the asteroid surface topology and study its precise material composition. Based on data gathered by this probe, future missions may warrant surface exploration and sample collection capabilities. With the local gravity on psyche less than 2% that of earths, traditional wheeled rovers (such as the mars perseverance and curiosity rovers) are expected to struggle with traversing the asteroid surface. The topology is also expected to include a range of featured from fine regolith deserts to jagged rocky cliffs. Our unique and innovative rover design is set to tackle these harsh conditions by rolling over the surface and if need be, jumping over obstacles. The tetrahedral configuration is stable and tip proof allowing uniform movement behavior from any orientation. Though this project focuses solely on mobility, the large internal volume provides ample space for packaging sensor hardware and electronics which could be used to collect and analyze material specimens. This project demonstrates the mechanical feasibility of a tetrahedral rover design and its unique approach to mobility in microgravity.