Caterpillar and NASA both continuously work to develop next-generation technologies. Both are also home to some of the greatest engineering minds on the planet, so joining forces in collaborative research was a logical step. This collaboration delivers value to Caterpillar customers here on Earth and to NASA’s future space explorers.
Caterpillar’s relationship with NASA began about a decade ago. In January 2004, the federal government announced a new program to develop technologies that would eventually lead to a permanently-manned base in space. These technologies were to be tested on the Moon prior to being used in missions to Mars. The use of In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)—meaning living off the land instead of shipping supplies (water, air, etc.) from Earth—represented an integral part of the plan. This would require resource extraction from the Moon or Mars for converting ice to water and splitting the water for oxygen to be used in life support systems and in rocket fuel. The program also contained plans for infrastructure development like landing pads, roads and buried habitats for protection from radiation.
To that end, NASA expressed interest in mutually beneficial technology development programs. Caterpillar’s Research & Advanced Engineering (RA&E) team in the Product Development & Global Technology division reviewed their technology-development priorities and, discovering significant alignment with NASA’s goals, welcomed the collaboration.
RA&E Director Dr. Lou Balmer-Millar said, “Our two teams had many common technology objectives, so a joint effort to make those objectives a reality more than made sense.”
Of this collaboration, Caterpillar Engineering Manager and NASA liaison Eric Reiners said, “NASA, Caterpillar and many people benefit from this relationship. For Caterpillar, the joint research has resulted in machinery and tool advancements that offer added value for our customers around the world. NASA is using the research to adapt technologies for space environments. So, the advancements generated in our work together hold great value for our customers on Earth and potentially for pioneers in future planetary explorations.”
The joint research efforts focused on the areas of robotics and semi-autonomous/remote-operator systems, both of which minimize the danger humans might face in hazardous environments on Earth or in space. The teams developed technologies for planetary infrastructure development with remote operators and positioning technology that supplies location information without the use of GPS, among other collaborations.
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) is supporting the NASA Lunabotics Mining Competition at the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. The event is designed to engage and retain college students in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“The students at today’s competition are the Caterpillar engineers of tomorrow,” said Caterpillar Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Tana Utley. “Caterpillar has a long history of supporting educational opportunities that promote the STEM areas. We need to encourage and foster ingenuity and innovative thinking to current and future generations – it’s what our customers expect and deserve.”
Participants in the competition will design and build excavation systems that could be used for future lunar exploration. Teams will test their designs in a head-to-head challenge to see which design can excavate the most simulated lunar “dirt” over a specific timeframe. The technologies produced at the competition could one day be applied to actual lunar excavation for NASA and provide near-term solutions for mining and excavating applications on earth. Caterpillar Automation Manager, Eric Reiners, is lending his expertise as a judge at the event.
“Educational outreach has been an important part of our collaborations with NASA, and we look forward to continuing this focus with the Lunabotics Mining Competition,” said Reiners. “While the applications showcased during the event have an eye toward the sky, these technologies could have a positive impact on current mining operations on this planet. The development of autonomous mining and hauling systems will ultimately help Cat customers boost efficiency and increase profitability.”
Currently, there are 22 graduate and undergraduate student teams enrolled in the competition. Along with Reiners’ participation, Caterpillar is also providing apparel for the students, judges and staff. In addition, Caterpillar dealer, Ring Power, is supplying a 277C Multi Terrain Loader to provide a physical link to showcase the technologies Caterpillar and NASA are developing.