Overview of the 2024 BIG Idea Challenge The 2024 BIG Idea Challenge invites collegiate teams to design, develop, and demonstrate novel uses of low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) inflatable technologies, structures, and systems for lunar operations. The focus is on innovative concepts that incorporate inflatable components, going beyond traditional lunar habitats. This challenge aims to support NASA's long-term goal of conducting sustained crew and science missions on the Moon by leveraging the unique properties of inflatable technologies

URSULA: Ultralight Robotic Soft-actuated Universal Lunar Assembler

For the 2024 competition, our team at Northeastern University developed URSULA, an octopus-inspired robot designed to autonomously assemble and maintain lunar infrastructure. Despite not receiving funding this year, the project was a valuable R&D endeavor and laid a strong foundation for our future participation in the 2025 competition. Here's an overview of the innovative aspects of URSULA:

Actuation and Mobility

• Inflatable Arms: URSULA's arms were powered by SMA coils that expanded in low lunar temperatures and contracted at room temperature, protected by Kevlar-reinforced sheaths for durability.
• Chassis and Treads: The solid chassis housed pumps, nitrogen gas reservoirs, and servos, with tank treads providing primary mobility. The arms could also function as a secondary locomotion system.

End Effectors

• Claw Gripper: A multi-jointed, three-axis gripper designed for precise handling of various objects.
• Gecko Gripper: Suction-based design for delicate manipulation of irregular shapes, inspired by gecko adhesion properties.

Power and Electronics

• Power Supply: Operated on rechargeable 12V LiPo batteries, with plans for solar panels for sustainable power.
• Control Systems: Utilized an Nvidia Jetson AGX Orin for high-level computing and Arduinos for low-level control, ensuring efficient operation of the robotic system.

Testing and Verification

• Thermal Vacuum Testing: Extensive testing in Dynavac's thermal vacuum chambers simulated lunar conditions to validate URSULA's functionality, including mobility and actuator performance.
• Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance: Equipped with depth cameras and LiDAR for autonomous navigation and precise operation in the unstructured lunar environment.

Impact and Future Prospects

Although we did not receive funding for the 2024 competition, the URSULA project was a valuable R&D endeavor. It has set the foundation for our participation in the 2025 competition. The experience gained and the technology developed during this project will significantly enhance our future proposals and contributions to sustainable lunar exploration.