Students and faculty at Northeastern University are innovating new technology and collaborating with NASA to prepare for missions to the moon.
Will mankind make a return to the moon’s surface in this decade? NASA’s Artemis program is an initiative designed to explore the Moon for scientific discovery and technological advancement in preparation for future human missions to space. The program plans to land the first woman, the first person of color, and the first international partner astronaut on the Moon’s surface through a trip using innovative technologies to explore more of the Moon than ever in the past (1). The program targets areas of the moon like the South Pole, which contains water ice that could support life. Artemis is designed to test new technologies for exploration on lunar surfaces, such as rovers, and gather knowledge that can be applied to missions related to living and working in space. By collaborating with commercial and international partners, as well as institutions like Northeastern, NASA is provided with fresh perspectives in research and ideas that can overcome the challenges of space exploration (2).
In 2022, a team of students at Northeastern University, advised by Assistant Professor Alireza Ramezani, won the Artemis Award at NASA’s Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-changing (BIG) Idea challenge. The project they entered into the contest was the Crater Observing Bio-Inspired Rolling Articulator (COBRA), which is a snake-inspired rover that is designed to navigate the Moon’s surface, specifically on treacherous terrains including caves, lava tubes, and steep slopes (3). Its structure allows it to form a loop that enables it to tumble down slopes while using minimal energy, a key factor for long-duration missions. The COBRA rover’s unique side winding movements, as those of snakes, in addition to its tumbling abilities allow it to access areas that traditional wheeled rovers cannot reach. This innovation allows advanced mobility solutions for lunar exploration, which progresses the Artemis program towards its goal of achieving greater efficiency (4).
Northeastern’s snake shaped robot, the COBRA–Crater Observing Bio-inspired Rolling Articulator (1).
After this success, efforts are underway to enhance COBRA’s abilities. Henry Noyes, a recent Northeastern graduate and NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Fellow, is working to make COBRA fully autonomous. This breakthrough would allow the rover to function independently on the Moon’s surface, performing essential tasks like mapping the terrain and identifying resources, such as water ice. These tasks are crucial for future missions to space and the possible establishment of sustainable human presence on the Moon (5).
Henry Noyes working on the COBRA in the EXP research complex (2).
Beyond its lunar applications, COBRA’s adaptable technology has potential for use on future missions to other planets like Mars, where similar challenging terrain, such as deep canyons and shifting sands, demand innovative solutions for exploration. Through initiatives like COBRA, Northeastern is helping to create the next generation of technologies that will be essential in gathering information to drive both scientific discovery and the development of future space missions.
Bibliography:
- Our Artemis Crew – NASA. (2023, February 24). Retrieved January 18, 2025, from NASA website: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/our-artemis-crew/
- Artemis – NASA. (2023, June 7). Retrieved January 18, 2025, from NASA website: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/artemis/
- Bhattachan, N., Bhora, Y., & Ramezani, A. (n.d.). Northeastern University -Students for the Exploration and Development of Space COBRA: Crater Observing Bio-inspired Rolling Articulator Team Members: Foreign Nationals: Advised By. Retrieved from Northeastern University – Students for the Exploration and Development of Space COBRA
- Northeastern University Slithers to the Top with BIG Idea Alternative Rover Concept – NASA. (2022, November 17). Retrieved January 18, 2025, from NASA website: Northeastern University Slithers to the Top with BIG Idea Alternative Rover Concept – NASA
- Contreras, C. (2024, May 7). Can robots be used to extract ice on the moon? This NASA research fellow from Northeastern wants to find out. Retrieved January 19, 2025, from Northeastern Global News website: https://news.northeastern.edu/2024/05/07/nasa-research-fellow-henry-noyes/
Images:
- Mello-Klein, C. (2022, December 7). Northeastern students designed a snake robot that could help NASA find water on the moon. Retrieved February 4, 2025, from Northeastern Global News website: https://news.northeastern.edu/2022/12/07/snake-robot-nasa-moon/
- Contreras, C. (2024, May 7). Can robots be used to extract ice on the moon? This NASA research fellow from Northeastern wants to find out. Retrieved February 4, 2025, from Northeastern Global News website: https://news.northeastern.edu/2024/05/07/nasa-research-fellow-henry-noyes /