Intelligent Excavator Control for a Lunar Mining System
The benefits of utilizing local planetary resources are a large reduction in the cost of lifting materials from the earth's surface into earth orbit. Since the moon is one of the closest...
Control Model for Robotic Backhoe Excavation and Obstacle Handling
Excavation of soil and rock is a high volume and repetitive construction operation. Robots, which are suitable for incessant and repeated manipulations, can find many potential applications....
Recent Developments in the Robotic All Terrain Lunar Exploration Rover (RATLER) Program
The Robotic All-Terrain Lunar Exploration Rover (RATLER) is a four wheeled all-wheel-drive dual-body vehicle. A uniquely simple method of chassis articulation is employed which allows...
Computer-Assisted Coal Mining — An Overview
The U.S. Bureau of Mines was created to conduct research to improve the health, safety, and efficiency of the coal and metal mining industries. In 1986, the Bureau embarked on a new, major...
A Real-Time Control Network for Robotic Mining
The application of computers and computer networks to coal mining machines is one approach the U.S. Bureau of mines is pursuing to enhance safety for the coal miner while at the same time...
Allowable Design Loads for Marman Clamp Systems
Marman clamp separation systems have many aerospace applications. One of their most important applications is in the attachment of spacecraft to expendable launch vehicles. Because their...
The Challenge of Mining He-3 on the Lunar Surface: How All the Parts Fit Together
After the initial confirmation of the existence of He-3 on the lunar surface in 1985, there has been a flurry of activity both in the U.S. and abroad to find the best method of garnering...
Lunar Mining
Mining the moon for materials that can be used for the advancement of space research would be very profitable. It would be necessary to develop equipment for mining. There would be a need...
A Simple Method of Producing Lunar Soil Simulants for Engineering Studies
This paper suggests that it is possible to obtain large quantities of simulated lunar regolith that can be used for feasibility studies of lunar base construction and excavation machinery...
Design Criteria for Lunar Construction Equipment
It is anticipated that lunar installations will, from the beginning, require moving and assembly of components and the use of lunar regolith as a construction material. The functional...
Dynamic Optimization by Small Variation of the System Layout
Dynamic problems have been usually considered in the speed for frequency domain. However, most machines, structures or mechanisms are usually interconnected subsystems, overconstrained...
Coupling Translation and Rocking Motions
In the design of concrete block foundations for rotating and reciprocating machines, it is important to avoid resonant conditions. Therefore, accurate determination of the frequencies...
Overview - Electrical Substation Structures Design Guide
The ASCE Substation Structures subcommittee of the Committee on Electrical Transmission Structures (CETS) is developing a substation structures design guide. The guide discusses the analysis...
Characterization of an ER Active Member
In the presence of strong electric fields (kV/mm), electrorheological (ER) materials change form viscous fluids to yielding materials. The class of ER materials used in this study have...
Dynamic Characteristics of Translational Lattice Domes
The feasibility of using lattice domes of various shapes generated by translating a variety of parametric polygons is illustrated and the dynamic characteristics of these lattices determined....
Dulles International Airport Construction Challenges
The expansion of the Main Terminal at Dulles International Airport was anticipated and planned for during the original construction of the building in 1962. The most difficult portions...
Problems Faced by Faculty in Minority Institutions
The primary objective of this paper is to list some problems faced by faculty engaged in both research and instruction in Minority Institutions (MIs) and to suggest solutions to them....
Evaluating Sensitivity of Hydraulic Control Optimization Models
Sensitivity of hydraulic control optimization models to variation in gradient constraints is examined. Monte Carlo simulation is used in conjunction with repeated optimization runs to...
A Tunnel Boring System for the Yucca Mountain Project
Application of Heavy Duty Roadheaders for Underground Development of the Yucca Mountain Exploratory Study Facility
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