In-situ operations and planning for the Mars Science Laboratory Robotic Arm: The first 200 sols

The Robotic Arm (RA) has operated for more than 200 Martian solar days (or sols) since the Mars Science Laboratory rover touched down in Gale Crater on August 5, 2012. During the first seven months on Mars the robotic arm has performed multiple contact science sols including the positioning of the A...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Robinson, M., Collins, C., Leger, P., Carsten, J., Tompkins, V., Hartman, F., Yen, J.
Format: Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Subjects:
Contacts
in-situ operations
Instruments
Manipulation
Mars
Mars surface operations
robotic arm
Robots
Rocks
Sensors
Soil
space robotics
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Summary:The Robotic Arm (RA) has operated for more than 200 Martian solar days (or sols) since the Mars Science Laboratory rover touched down in Gale Crater on August 5, 2012. During the first seven months on Mars the robotic arm has performed multiple contact science sols including the positioning of the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and/or Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) with respect to rocks or loose regolith targets. The RA has supported sample acquisition using both the scoop and drill, sample processing with CHIMRA (Collection and Handling for In- Situ Martian Rock Analysis), and delivery of sample portions to the observation tray, and the SAM (Sample Analysis at Mars) and CHEMIN (Chemistry and Mineralogy) science instruments. This paper describes the planning and execution of robotic arm activities during surface operations, and reviews robotic arm performance results from Mars to date.
DOI:10.1109/SYSoSE.2013.6575259