There is growing interest in lunar exploration as space agencies and private companies prepare to return to our natural satellite. One of the most promising advances in this area is the use of teleoperation, a technology that allows robots or rovers to be controlled remotely. This system could transform the way we interact with machines on the Moon by improving mission efficiency and precision.

Understanding teleoperation

There teleoperation involves operating machines remotely, often via interfaces such as joysticks or touch screens. On lunar missions, ground operators use these tools to control rovers, sample collection equipment, and other instruments. However, one of the main challenges of this operation lies in the communication delay between the Earth and the Moon, which is approximately 1.3 seconds. This delay complicates tasks that require a quick reaction, such as avoiding an unexpected obstacle.

Currently, teleoperation systems rely on cameras and sensors to provide real-time data. Although these tools provide better visualization of the environment, the lag in communication can lead to errors. Operators must anticipate the rover’s actions, which requires extensive experience and careful planning.

Innovations in teleoperation

To overcome the challenges of communication and precision in controlling lunar rovers, researchers at the University of Bristol are developing advanced teleoperation systems. These new technologies integrate haptic interfaces which provides tactile feedback mimicking the properties of lunar regolith. This approach allows operators to better assess the force needed to manipulate samples, making robot control more intuitive and precise.

Researchers recently tested this teleoperation system at the European Space Applications and Telecommunications Center of the European Space Agency (ESA) in Harwell, England. During these tests, the team found that the system was consistently successful in collecting the simulated sample, displaying a 100% efficiency. However, it showed 92.5% reliability in other aspects of operations, meaning there were some errors when pouring the sample out of the skin.

These results nevertheless demonstrate the robustness of the system, but also its potential for complex operations, such as digging and assembly on the Moon.

Reduction of latency thanks to satellites

Currently, teleoperation of lunar rovers mainly relies on communications directs between Earth and space engines. Signals are sent via antennas and radio communication systems, which causes some delay due to the distance between the Earth and the Moon. This delay, of approximately 1.3 secondsmeans that when an operator on Earth sends a command to a lunar rover, he must wait this amount of time before receiving a response on whether that command has been executed.

Naturally, current rovers have some autonomy capability, allowing them to perform tasks semi-independently. However, this autonomy is generally limited to basic operations and critical decisions requiring human intervention due to communication delays.

Another crucial aspect to improve the teleoperation of lunar rovers is therefore the reduction of latency in communications. To alleviate this difficulty, researchers plan to use satellites to relay teleoperation signalswhich would offer operators the ability to manage complex tasks with increased fluidity.

With these innovations, future missions to the Moon could benefit from more precise coordination and faster execution of tasks.