改进月球挖掘机器人，NASA需要您的帮助

改进月球挖掘机器人，NASA需要您的帮助

A new era of lunar exploration and science is about to begin, but in order for NASA to make the most of it, it has to have all the right technology ready to roll. One of the gadgets NASA wants to send to the Moon is a digging robot. The agency has already made plenty of progress on this front, building the RASSOR (Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot) bot and testing various versions of its hardware.

一个月球探测和科学的新时代即将开始，但是为了让美国宇航局充分利用它，我们必须准备好所有适合的技术。美国国家航空航天局想把一个挖掘机器人送到月球上。该机构已经在这方面取得了很多进展，建造了RASSOR(Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot)机器人，并测试了各种版本的硬件。

But NASA can’t do it alone, and it has issued a call for help in designing one very important component of the RASSOR robot: its collection drum.

但NASA不能独自完成，它已经发出呼吁，呼吁社会帮助设计拉索机器人的一个非常重要的组成部分：它的收集桶。

We’ve all seen footage of the Moon missions, with its dusty surface that appears perfect for easy collection. Unfortunately, gathering material from the surface is made more complicated by the Moon’s low gravity, and the fact that anything we send to the Moon has to be light enough to be flown on a rocket.

我们都看过月球飞行任务的镜头，其尘土飞扬的表面看起来很容易收集。不幸的是，由于月球的低重力，从月球表面收集物质变得更加复杂，而且我们发送到月球的任何东西都必须足够轻才能在火箭上飞行。

A massive, heavy robot could easily get traction and dig to its heart’s content, but such hardware simply can’t be reliably delivered to the lunar surface. Instead, a lightweight machine is needed, and that means developing new solutions. RASSOR has to be able to get traction and dig and do so without weighing a ton.

一个巨大、笨重的机器人可以很容易地获得牵引力，并挖掘到它的核心内容，但这样的硬件根本无法可靠地运到月球表面。相反，我们需要一个轻量级的机器，而这意味着要开发新的解决方案。拉索尔必须在不重的情况下得到牵引力和挖掘。

“With RASSOR, we’re no longer relying on the traction or the weight of the robot. It is possible to excavate on the Moon or Mars with a really lightweight robot,” NASA’s Jason Schuler said in a statement. “RASSOR is excavation and transportation all in one, but we’d like to improve the design.”

“有了拉索尔，我们不再依赖机器人的牵引力或重量。”美国宇航局的杰森·舒勒在一份声明中说：“用一个非常轻的机器人在月球或火星上进行挖掘是可能的。”。“拉索尔是集挖掘和运输于一体的，但我们希望改进设计。”

The robot’s digging drum will dig up material and then deliver it to a different location. This process has to be as efficient as possible, which is why NASA is now asking for suggestions.

机器人的挖掘鼓将挖掘材料，然后将其运送到不同的位置。这一过程必须尽可能高效，这就是NASA现在征求建议的原因。

RASSOR’s current bucket drums are hollow cylinders positioned on either end of the robot, with scoops around the circumference of the cylinders. The robot digs in opposing ends toward the other, which balances the excavation forces and makes it easier to dig.

拉索尔目前的铲斗鼓是位于机器人任一端的空心圆柱体，铲子围绕着圆柱体的圆周。机器人在相对的一端朝另一端挖掘，这平衡了挖掘力并使挖掘更加容易。

To see if the digging bot can be made even better, NASA’s RASSOR Bucket Drum Design Challenge is now open for submissions. The agency is asking for 3D models of new designs that can meet NASA’s requirements, including the ability for the drum to be able to be filled at least 50% before having to be emptied.

为了了解挖掘机器人是否可以做得更好，NASA的拉索尔桶鼓设计挑战赛现已开始接受报名。该机构正在寻求能够满足NASA要求的新设计3D模型，其中包括能够将鼓桶至少填充50%，然后再将其清空的能力。

Those who are up to the challenge and wish to submit a design have until April 20th.

那些接受挑战并希望提交设计的人，必须在4月20日之前提交。