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NASA Testing Linux-Based Exploration Robots
SeenOnSlash.com writes "This week NASA is testing a Linux-based lunar rover called K-10 in the Arizona desert. To cut costs and promote maintainability the K-10 runs Linux and uses commercial off-the-shelf parts where possible. The robot rover's control and communications system is based on an IBM Thinkpad X31 and attaches to subsystems with standard PC interfaces. Real-time tasks such as fine-grained motor control are offloaded to a distributed network of microcontroller-powered control boards. Maneuvers can be watched through a live webcam."
Does it include a copy of the GPL? Aliens need to know that they are entitled to the source code if they find the probe.
But does it run li... oh.
Why is it that many people who claim to support standards have such atrocious spelling and grammar?
But, does it run Windows?
Good. Cheap. Fast. Pick Two.
Are you...Are you some kind of genius?
No, ma'am, I'm just a regular Slashdot reader.
Will SCO go to Mars to support their IP rights?
A goal is a dream with a deadline
In other news, Richard Stallman slammed NASA for using GPL code, but not allowing everyone to pilot the robot or go on space mission.
In a statement released today, NASA has responded by offering to send Stallman to Mars.
Have you read my journal today?
I suspect that the idea here is to cut down development costs, not the build costs for the final implementation. Commercial grade gear just wouldn't cut in space with the extrem temperature swings, cosmic radiation messing with memory or if you end up on Venus god knows what kind of weird atmosphere.
But someone could actually build a proof of concept design (like they're doing now) that could become the basis for the actual rover. I can't imagine it takes that much more work using Linux than some other solution since there's bound to be a lot of non-standard stuff going on with the rover software.
NASA is so pitifully underbudgeted that none of these machines were Vista-ready anyway.
My turnips listen for the soft cry of your love
One, this is a development model. Hardware subject to upgrade when making a "real" unit after the software achieves a basic level of maturity.
Two, you don't need a rad-hardened processor if you can wrap the whole computing unit in a rad-hardened box. Same goes for putting ice cubes in your freezer; if the fridge's materials and power units can withstand a thermal bombardment from the outside, the ice cube inside will remain solid.
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Namely: it can be dismantled, optimized and modified to your heart's content. Which is a lot, when every millimeter of length and every gram of mass has to be accounted for.
My turnips listen for the soft cry of your love
I love my job.
ATHLETE is one of the coolest damn things I've seen in a long time, designed and built by a team of absolutely brilliant engineers. Think of a two-meter-tall six-legged metal spider on roller skates. Or, heck, just check the link above.
The current ATHLETE is a prototype (of course); the ones we send to the moon -- if we're selected -- will be twice that size. Yes, Slashdotters, welcome our four-meter-tall six-legged roller-skate-wearing metal spider overlords!
For additional coverage of K-10, ATHLETE, Centaur/Robonaut, and other vehicles participating in this test, check out the updates from JSC.
``Life results from the non-random survival of randomly varying replicators.'' -- Richard Dawkins
Traditionally all of their mission software was 100% home-rolled.
This is untrue - Spirit and Opportunity run VxWorks.
It would be interested to see any modifications NASA come out with for Linux (although since they aren't distributing the software they don't technically need to release the source). I understand they use a modified IP stack for communicating with recent probes, etc. so that's all stuff that could be published.
I suspect the reduced manpower to build the software is where the savings come in.
There could be stability bonuses too - even though noone else is using Linux for this job, the fact that large chunks of the code have been in use by a large number of people for years may be a big benefit - there's only so far that testing in the lab will go. (That is not to say they will reduce the testing they do, but starting with a code base that's well proved already is always a good thing on top of your normal test procedures)
http://blog.nexusuk.org