NASA may use a one-legged robot to explore a Saturn moon. Watch it hop.
NASA is developing a one-legged robot named LEAP to explore Saturn's moon Enceladus. This robot will hop through icy geysers to collect samples from a hidden ocean that may support life. The project is inspired by the jumping abilities of squirrels and aims to enhance our understanding of extraterrestrial environments.
- ▪LEAP stands for Legged Exploration Across the Plain and is about one foot tall and weighs roughly 2 pounds.
- ▪The robot will use a spring-driven leg, wheels, and internal spinning reaction wheels to navigate and hop.
- ▪The project is funded by NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program and builds on a prototype called SALTO.
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Home > Science > Space NASA may use a one-legged robot to explore a Saturn moon. Watch it hop. Boing-boing, boing-boing. By Elisha Sauers Elisha Sauers Elisha Sauers writes about space for Mashable, taking deep dives into NASA's moon and Mars missions, chatting up astronauts and history-making discoverers, and jetting above the clouds. Through 17 years of reporting, she's covered a variety of topics, including health, business, and government, with a penchant for public records requests. She previously worked for The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia, and The Capital in Annapolis, Maryland. Her work has earned numerous state awards, including the Virginia Press Association's top honor, Best in Show, and national recognition for narrative storytelling.
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