Team Leads
Mechancial Engineering: Gabriel Gamet

Eletrical Computer Engineering: Justin Crampton

Computer Science: Lauren Krajewski

ME: Gabriel Gamet, Purcell Anderson, Marshal Tobias, Skyler Batteiger, Jackie Brandyn Langston

ECE: Justin Crampton, Stefan Smoke, Blake Bryant, Caleb Bucklin
CS: Lauren Krajewski, Edward Davis, Thomas Williams, Derek Apgar

Florida Polytechnic University Planetary Rover Team

Project Overview

This project had initially tasked the Florida Polytechnic Planetary Rover Team with the design of J.A.C.K., that the Mechanical Engineers are calling J.A.C.K. for Joyfully Advancing Common Knowledge, that can successfully retrieve stranded rovers on Mars after a dust storm. This project statement was later adjusted after a visit to the Kennedy Space Center. Now the team is asked to design a fully modular rover that is modeled after the PISCES Helelani Planetary Analog Argo Rover designed by Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems for KSC and Florida Space Institute. Rob Mueller, Senior Technologist Exploration Research and Technology Programs for KSC' mechancial engineerign department Swampworks, asked the Florida Polytechnic Planetary Rover Team to create J.A.C.K. with two module bays on each side of it. 

This rover should be able to hold a variety of standardized modules, drive on terrain similar to the Moon and Mars, and be autonomous in its driving nature. The Florida Polytechnic Planetary Rover Team is composed of 13 undergraduates divided into three teams consisting of five Mechanical Engineers, four Computer Scientist, and four Electrical Computer Engineers. The Mechanical Engineering team has run various tests and analysis on different designs to determine the most optimal to meet KSC and FSI's requirements.  The Computer Science Team has been tasked with programming the autonomous nature of J.A.C.K. in commutes and completing designated tasks. The Electrical Computer Engineering team has been tasked with creating the code to interface the high level programs with the mechanical parts of J.A.C.K. and wire the various electrical components together.

Mechancial Enginering Manual

Future work to be done during assembly

This is a show of the battery placements for the rover. Each set of four batteries will be running in series to each motor. The batteries being hidden in the main beams provides extra conductive cooling to the aluminum beams as well as keeping them protected from the outside environment.

The doors on the top of each main beam will act as exhaust ports for any fumigation from the batteries. They will also serve as extra hand room for electrical work. 

This is a temporary space holder for where the electronics controller will be placed. The size is dependent on the needed placement of the control boards. 

Camera's will also be placed on the beam up top. Two cameras will be facing forward for depth-perception with one facing the rear.

To assist the rover with any bending moments that may occur while no module is attached additional supports are there to absorb excess force.

Computer Science

Code: