To Boldly Go Where No Robots Have Gone Before - EELS Robot to Spearhead a New Space Exploration Paradigm of Diving into the Unknowns （ロボット未踏の地へ果敢に挑む - 未知への挑戦という宇宙探査の新たなパラダイムを切り拓くEELSロボット）

Masahiro Ono（小野 雅裕（おの まさひろ））
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

In this talk we will discusses the need for a new paradigm in robotic space exploration that can effectively explore challenging destinations beyond Mars. The current incremental approach used for Mars exploration, based on detailed environmental knowledge, is not applicable in environments with long cruise times and limited launch opportunities. The proposed paradigm, called "into the unknown," emphasizes versatility and intelligent, risk-aware autonomy. The talk introduces the Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor (EELS), a highly versatile and intelligent snake-like robot designed for exploring Enceladus vents and other challenging targets. EELS has a high degree of mechanical flexibility, allowing it to adapt to unknown environments. It is equipped with a novel autonomy framework called NEO, which enables control and decision-making in extreme and unknown environments. Prototypes of EELS have been developed and successfully tested for surface and vertical mobility. The talk highlights the importance of versatility and intelligence in addressing environmental uncertainty and illustrates how EELS outperforms Mars rovers in coping with unknown terrain. The proposed paradigm and the development of EELS represent a significant shift in robotic exploration strategies for future missions beyond Mars.

A2F Conference hall (1236),　Via Zoom