With the depletion of the earth's resources, space mining is gradually becoming a reality. According to CCTV News, China's first space mining robot was born at China University of Mining and Technology not long ago.
According to reports, the multi-functional space mining robot was developed by the team of Professor Liu Xinhua of China University of Mining and Technology, and its basic form is a six-legged mode, with three wheel feet and three claw feet. Professor Liu Xinhua said that this design is mainly to adapt to the microgravity environment in space.
Drilling is an essential skill for space mining robots to complete geological exploration and mineral gathering tasks on extraterrestrial bodies. In the Earth's gravity environment, the weight of the robot itself is enough to support the drill bit drilling, and the gravity of the Moon is only one-sixth of that of the Earth, so how to get the drill bit to drill into the surface of the star has become a big problem. Therefore, in order to solve the drift problem caused by weightlessness, the scientific research team designed a special claw spine foot for the space mining robot by simulating the structure of insect claw spines.
Robots with claw-stabbed feet are more capable of attaching and gripping in microgravity, can be fixed for sampling, and can move according to the terrain. In addition, the robot's wheels and anchor structure at the end of the foot allow it to walk on asteroid potholes.
IT Home learned from CCTV News that the prototype of the space mining robot has applied for a patent to the relevant departments and has passed the preliminary examination.