Zurich – Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) are developing a robot that can also operate in low gravity. The device could help in the exploration of natural resources as well as research into the origins of the universe.
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) have developed the SpaceHopper robot. According to a press release, the robot should be able to move with hopping movements even on small celestial bodies such as asteroids and moons, where gravity is low.
The project started two years ago as part of an ETH bachelor's project and is currently being continued as a master's project. In order to test the SpaceHopper's behavior in weightlessness, the robot was used on a parabolic flight by the European Space Agency (ESA).
SpaceHopper is a lightweight robot that is capable of both long and short jumps. Its three legs with three-dimensional degrees of freedom enable a springy and precise landing. The robot can carry scientific equipment for taking and analyzing soil samples in its core housing. ce/eb