NASA Jet Propulsion Lab Axel Rover

As an intern at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), I helped redesign the Axel Rover. The Axel Rover, a research robot, is a robot designed to dive or rappel down cliffs and caves on the moon's surface.

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My project was to redesign the tether management system, or the mechatronic system that rolls and releases the tether supporting the robot as it rappels down a cliff. I used SolidWorks to generate over 30 components to manage the path of the tether as it travels through the robot. Some of the components included a rotary tension sensor, a double bull wheel capstan, and pulleys. Additionally, I analyzed the system to select robust bearings to satisfy the static and dynamic loading constraints of the double bull wheel capstan. I presented on my progress in multiple design reviews of four or more engineers.

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See https://www-robotics.jpl.nasa.gov/how-we-do-it/systems/the-axel-rover/ for more information on Axel's mission.

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