NASA Develops 'Lunar Backpack' to Support Future Moon Exploration
2022-05-09
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1The American space agency NASA has developed a wearable device to guide future explorers on the moon.
2The system is designed to map terrain and guide astronauts through unknown territory and dark areas of the moon.
3The device can be worn as a backpack.
4It is called the Kinematic Navigation and Cartography Knapsack, or KNaCK.
5The system was specially designed to provide navigation assistance on the moon,
6which lacks the kinds of GPS systems that exist on Earth.
7KNaCK is equipped with a technology called LiDAR to produce real-time, 3D maps.
8LiDAR uses sensors and light lasers to map the surrounding environment and measure distances.
9NASA engineers worked together with private partners to develop the system.
10One of the partners is Aeva Inc. of Mountain View, California.
11The company supplied LiDAR sensors and support for the project, NASA said.
12The sensors it provided to NASA use a technology known as FMCW, Aeva said in a press release.
13NASA says the technology can provide "millions of measurement points per second" and create a high-quality map of an area's terrain.
14The company explained that the sun does not interfere with FMCW technology and it can operate in darkness.
15This can help astronauts and moon vehicles explore and map the lunar surface during the day or at night.
16James Reuther is the vice president of technology at Aeva.
17He said the KNaCK system will be important "to help astronauts carry out critical objectives of NASA's Artemis program."
18Artemis is NASA's program to return humans to the moon.
19It aims to land American astronauts on the moon by 2025.
20It would mark the first time humans have visited the moon since NASA's Apollo 17 landing in 1972.
21Michael Zanetti leads the KNaCK project at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
22He said the device is like a "superpowered version" of laser-based technologies used in surveying operations and driver-assistance tools for vehicles.
23Zanetti noted that KNaCK can be used by astronauts for both navigation operations and science mapping.
24"It also will help ensure the safety of astronauts and rover vehicles in a GPS-denied environment such as the Moon," he said.
25Zanetti added that the system can provide real-time maps to show explorers "how far they've come and how far is left to go to reach their destination."
26NASA also worked with Alabama-based Torch Technologies Inc. to develop a working model KNaCK backpack.
27The device has been tested in several settings, including at a NASA research center in Kilbourne Hole, New Mexico.
28The center is used for lunar research because it is near a volcanic crater that contains terrain similar to the moon.
29The space agency says the device can become an important part of future exploration activities on the moon.
30This could especially be true for astronaut visits to the moon's South Pole.
31NASA wants to send explorers to this area.
32However, it receives little sunlight and would be difficult for astronauts to navigate.
33The development team says it will next work to shrink the size of KNaCK.
34The current backpack model weighs about 18 kilograms.
35The goal is to produce a device that is about the size of a soda container for easy transportability.
36Engineers are also working to find ways to protect the device's sensitive electronics system from the effects of microgravity and radiation that exist in space.
37I'm Bryan Lynn.
1The American space agency NASA has developed a wearable device to guide future explorers on the moon. 2The system is designed to map terrain and guide astronauts through unknown territory and dark areas of the moon. 3The device can be worn as a backpack. It is called the Kinematic Navigation and Cartography Knapsack, or KNaCK. The system was specially designed to provide navigation assistance on the moon, which lacks the kinds of GPS systems that exist on Earth. 4KNaCK is equipped with a technology called LiDAR to produce real-time, 3D maps. LiDAR uses sensors and light lasers to map the surrounding environment and measure distances. 5NASA engineers worked together with private partners to develop the system. One of the partners is Aeva Inc. of Mountain View, California. The company supplied LiDAR sensors and support for the project, NASA said. 6The sensors it provided to NASA use a technology known as FMCW, Aeva said in a press release. NASA says the technology can provide "millions of measurement points per second" and create a high-quality map of an area's terrain. 7The company explained that the sun does not interfere with FMCW technology and it can operate in darkness. This can help astronauts and moon vehicles explore and map the lunar surface during the day or at night. 8James Reuther is the vice president of technology at Aeva. He said the KNaCK system will be important "to help astronauts carry out critical objectives of NASA's Artemis program." 9Artemis is NASA's program to return humans to the moon. It aims to land American astronauts on the moon by 2025. It would mark the first time humans have visited the moon since NASA's Apollo 17 landing in 1972. 10Michael Zanetti leads the KNaCK project at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He said the device is like a "superpowered version" of laser-based technologies used in surveying operations and driver-assistance tools for vehicles. 11Zanetti noted that KNaCK can be used by astronauts for both navigation operations and science mapping. "It also will help ensure the safety of astronauts and rover vehicles in a GPS-denied environment such as the Moon," he said. 12Zanetti added that the system can provide real-time maps to show explorers "how far they've come and how far is left to go to reach their destination." 13NASA also worked with Alabama-based Torch Technologies Inc. to develop a working model KNaCK backpack. The device has been tested in several settings, including at a NASA research center in Kilbourne Hole, New Mexico. The center is used for lunar research because it is near a volcanic crater that contains terrain similar to the moon. 14The space agency says the device can become an important part of future exploration activities on the moon. This could especially be true for astronaut visits to the moon's South Pole. NASA wants to send explorers to this area. However, it receives little sunlight and would be difficult for astronauts to navigate. 15The development team says it will next work to shrink the size of KNaCK. The current backpack model weighs about 18 kilograms. The goal is to produce a device that is about the size of a soda container for easy transportability. 16Engineers are also working to find ways to protect the device's sensitive electronics system from the effects of microgravity and radiation that exist in space. 17I'm Bryan Lynn. 18Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from NASA and Aeva Inc. 19We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 20________________________________________________________________ 21Words in This Story 22terrain - n. a particular kind of land 23backpack -n. a bag for carrying things that has two shoulder straps and is carried on the back 24navigate - v. to find the right direction for traveling by using maps or other equipment 25GPS (global positioning system) - n. a radio system that uses signals from satellites to tell you where you are and to give you directions to other places 26objective - n. something that you are trying to achieve 27survey - v. to examine an area of land by taking measurements and recording details 28destination - n. the place where someone or something is going 29crater - n. a big hole in the ground created by the force of an object