[Image: Possible cave entrance on Mars, via space.com].
There was an interesting article in last month’s issue of Air & Space about the design of subterranean robotics for exploring caves on other planets.
It primarily looks at “a robot called LEMUR, short for Limbed Excursion Mechanical Utility Robot.” LEMUR, we read, “is designed to climb the porous walls of a cave 150 million miles away, on Mars.”
[Image: The LEMUR robot in action; photo by Aaron Parness/JPL via Air & Space].
The article goes on to discuss the work of speleobiologist Penelope Boston, who you might remember from a long interview here on BLDGBLOG (originally recorded for Venue), as well as the challenges of sample-return missions, how robots might go spelunking on other planets, and more.
Check it out in full.