Space

Dr Karen Donaldson leads the group’s activity in space related research. We are interested in, space technology and science for planetary exploration.

The systems that we build, and the research we conduct, have applications in both space exploration and here on Earth.

We are exploring the fundamentals and applications of the intersections between robotic systems, chemistry and physics, the convergence of science and engineering.

Exploration through nature’s inspiration

There is much to be learnt from nature of the design of technology. The concept of biomechatronics was introduced around the 1480s when Leonardo Da Vinci studied birds and applied his findings to human flight. More recently, AIRBUS have used sharks as inspiration to create riblet patches on their wings and fuselages to reduce drag across the surface of a plane.

Nature and its animals continuously demonstrate effective interactions with the surroundings through features such as configurability, compliance and softness.

NASA’s Viking missions collected considerable data relating to the Martian planet that led to a much deeper understanding of Mars’ global geology and stratigraphy. There have been several successful missions to Mars, observing and sampling the surface through orbital and rover platforms. Mars’ evolution and associated geology has received significant interest for more than half a decade. Given the increasing demand for, and variety required in, Martian soil analysis there is a requirement for effective and resilient samplers for Martian exploration.

We are interested in robotic systems based upon the foundations of soil burrowing robotics that have been inspired by plants, worms, growing structures, and fish. Particularly, how these burrowing robots can be applied to planetary sampling for exploration on the moon and mars.

A robot moving through or across a variety of mediums will move fundamentally different in each. The terradynamic locomotion is affected by significantly different resistive drag forces depending upon the surrounding medium.

We are interested in the challenges in soft robotics which are associated with actuation and stiffness modulation. A soft robot is able to conform to its surroundings due to its flexibility however the challenge lies in the design of flexible actuation that is capable of producing high forces which replicate the muscles in an animal’s body, the solution to this challenge exists in nature from the study of how delicate animals provide this required stiffness to move through similar terrains.

Multidisciplinary approaches to complex challenges – “for the benefit of all”

Space is a complex environment; the nature of the challenges being addressed are inherently interdisciplinary and require substantive input and engagement across disciplinary divides. It is recognised and understood that cross-disciplinary and inter-sectoral involvement is essential from the beginning to allow design and innovation output to be optimised. The most effective and necessary method of achieving this within a multidisciplinary ecosystem is to first develop a shared understanding of the key questions, challenges and opportunities in each discipline in order to develop an understanding of the complex interplay of policy and technology.

An aim of our research is to bring together several disciplines into teams of experts to engage in multidisciplinary research and facilitated discussions that will identify and draw out key principles and issues that should be addressed. Currently, we are collaborating between schools and departments at the University of Edinburgh along with other Universities across the UK and Europe. In the disciplines of science & engineering as well as sociology and law.

We are collaborating with the School of Physics and Astronomy to gain insight and understanding to the composition of planetary terrain. Mars, is a planet that is currently at the forefront of science and engineering topics and discussions. A planet that is subject to intense solar winds as the planet does not have a global magnetic field and so is fully exposed to the force of the incoming solar wind. It has an induced magnetosphere (solar wind bow shock), where the upper atmosphere is being ionised by solar radiation.

Processes on planets that include meteorite impacts and interaction with plasmas from solar activity such as Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) can be categorised as an exogenic process. An exogenic process is an externally produced geodynamic process. These processes can include erosion, weathering and deposition. It is important to understand these types of exogenic processes taking place in the environment of space as these play a crucial role in the behaviour of planetary geomorphology and the evolution of the early solar system and the composition of planetary soil. 

The design and development of space technology often has direct applications to Earth. We aim to identify and utilise these natural overlaps, where possible, for maximum impact and integration with our systems. Consequently, Dr Donaldson is a co-founder of the research group ‘rECOver’. A research group that seeks to initiate conversation and collaboration among scientists, engineers, policymakers and social scientists to analyse the use of robotics in mineral acquisition for and recycling of sustainable or ‘green’ technologies by combining both techno-economic and socio-political analysis.

True multidisciplinary methods of conducting research, bridging between several disciplines, allows for a mature solution to the end user’s problem from the beginning. A solution that considers human, social and technical factors by way of involvement from relevant expertise. This diverse expertise will provide an environment where research ideas can fail quickly however, they can be rapidly iterated, delivering acceleration to productivity.

To Technology and beyond

Understanding space and its exploration goes beyond the development of technology and research fundamentals. Space is international, the United Nations space treaty includes the following principle “the exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries and shall be the province of all mankind. “

Space technology can often be applied to scientific and engineering challenges on Earth. Just as here on Earth, where international laws exist, for example fishing or deep-sea mining on international waters, laws exist for international space exploration and resource harnessing.

It has been observed, in published research, that in the field of robotics and certain sustainable efforts that regulation often follows from technological developments rather than proceeding them. Therefore, there is significance in understanding and including legal aspects, ethical principles and regulatory considerations into multidisciplinary approaches to space research and development.

When developing technology and its integration, either for on Earth or in Space, it is important legal approaches account for both the technical and ethical issues that they encompass. Whilst, aiming to minimise the negative effect on the environment and society. Robust legal and ethical frameworks are deemed equally important for governing the use of robotics and materials, as well as their application in sustainability efforts, to ensure the long-term healthy development of such technologies and methods. Regulation should not solely act as a limiting factor; instead, it should be adjusted to ensure dynamism and healthy economic growth of these activities.

We have recently engaged in joint work with colleagues in Turkey, at Hacettepe University, and Edinburgh school of Law for joint research, through understanding of the planetary protection policy, to develop policy suggestions and research papers that discuss space exploration, particularly mining, sampling and forward/backward contamination.