Design and development of a multimodal sensor head for lunar lava tube exploration

As interest in space exploration grows, and the possibility of humans returning to the moon increases, there is a renewed need for detailed information regarding the lunar surface. Currently, advanced robotic exploration systems are being developed to complete this task through collaborative robotics. A key aspect of this system is the ability to explore lava tubes on the lunar surface. These tubes, formed by ancient lava flows, could possibly serve as locations for future long-term human outposts. Development of a sensor head system suited to autonomous exploration is necessary to the completion of this goal. This thesis presents a sensor head designed to be used on an existing autonomous robotic platform (Coyote III), capable of providing both navigational and scientific data. To this end, multiple modalities are implemented, such as a time of flight (ToF) camera for point-cloud data and a novel narrow bandwidth imaging (NBI) camera system for mineral composition data. Two designs are presented: low degree of freedom (DoF) and high DoF sensor head. Within the high DoF design, an extendable arm is included for increased versatility and mission-planning freedom. This thesis includes a compilation and overview of relevant background knowledge and presents high-level designs unsuitable for direct prototyping or manufacturing, instead intended only as preliminary designs based on the relevant considerations.