Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 300 pounds, NASA’s humanoid robot Valkyrie is an imposing figure. Now, with the DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials set to kick off next month in Florida, it’s about to prove that it can also take space exploration to the next level.
The DARPA-funded contest pits 20 teams of scientists and engineers against each other in a simulated competition designed to mimic astronauts’ challenges on a mission to Mars. The teams issue computer commands to a virtual version of Valkyrie, which operates within a virtual backdrop that simulates conditions on Mars. The competitors must complete a series of tasks within a time limit, working with a communication delay designed to mimic the time it takes for a message to travel from Earth to Mars.
It’s no easy feat to build a humanoid robot capable of operating in harsh and unpredictable environments, so, unsurprisingly, Valkyrie is taking such a formidable challenge head-on. It can currently walk over flat terrain, though the team working on its development wants to allow it to traverse rocky or soft surfaces.
The JSC DRC team is structured on the same model as the famed Skunk Works at Lockheed, with a diverse group working under one roof in tight secrecy. Radford says he deliberately set it up to ensure the team can work quickly from scratch to deliver Valkyrie for the DARPA challenge. The team works two shifts daily, turning the lights on at 7 am and keeping them on until 5 am to work at a breakneck pace to meet the challenge’s deadline.
NASA sees the potential for humanoid robots to help or even replace astronauts in extreme space environments. The agency’s Dexterous Robotics Team Leader, Shaun Azimi, envisions a future in which robots will perform hazardous chores like cleaning solar panels or inspecting faulty equipment outside spaceships. This could free astronauts to focus on the cognitively challenging task of exploring new frontiers.
To help it test its capabilities, the DRC is collaborating with robotics companies like Austin, Texas-based Apptronik, which has built a similar robot called Apollo that’s already making waves on the terrestrial scene. The company has already deployed its torso-mounted robot for warehouse and supply chain management tasks. Still, it’s Apollo’s legs that will help NASA evaluate whether the technology can make it to the moon or Mars.
Valkyrie’s legs are powered by four linear actuators that can move it forward, backward, or sideways, and the robot has seven joints in its arms. Its head is fitted with a perceptual sensor and infrared, laser, and camera visualization tools. And, for added resiliency, the torso is outfitted with a chest shield that protects it from impact should it fall forward. The hands can be removed for shipping purposes, and the arm assembly contains a simple humanoid hand with three fingers and a thumb.
