From Sicily to Mars: Drone & rover tests pave way to the red planet

US-based

drone company Skypersonic, which in 2021 entered into a five-year contract with NASA to provide drone and rover hardware, software and support to the space agency's simulated Mars mission, has successfully completed testing on Mount Etna, an active volcano in Sicily where the landscape is similar to Martian geology.

Skypersonic says that the 15-day test demonstrates how its Skycopter drone can be piloted virtually anywhere, from virtually anywhere.

Using Skypersonic’s Long Range Real-Time Remote Piloting System, the drone and rover on Mount Etna were controlled by personnel in Houston, Texas, in real-time.

While most drones cannot be piloted without connecting to the GPS network, Skycopter uses technology that is able to control and track the drone in locations – such as Mars – where GPS is not available.

"This was a gruelling test that we passed with flying colours. We look forward to the ultimate test – on Earth, at least – when our technology will be used during NASA’s upcoming yearlong simulated Mars mission. We are confident of also passing this test," said Skypersonic CEO

Giuseppe Santangelo

working in a 1,700-square-foot module on Earth, called Mars Dune Alpha, will carry out a series of missions – including remotely guided exploration and collection of specimens from rugged terrain elsewhere on Earth, up to thousands of miles away." network of resources and specialist expertise to support them as they develop their technology for space. Over the next twelve months Stilfold will explore how their technology could be used for interior design solutions, transporters and food assembly in outer space, as well as how they can leverage existing space technologies to develop the perfect metamaterial for use with the Stilfold technology, both on Earth and in space.

The test results on the volcano included sample collections made by the rover - an essential capability for robotic exploration of Mars.

The project was a collaboration between Skypersonic, the University of Turin and Etna Park.

Snew project that aims to identify appli cations for its origami-inspired manufacturing technology in outer space.

The startup, which has become known for pushing the boundaries of design and innovation, is working with Sweden’s International Space Asset Acceleration Company (ISAAC) to discover how Stilfold’s “origami” manufacturing tech can be used for transporting and constructing materials in space.

A new organisation, ISAAC was founded by entrepreneur Mattias Hansson and backed by the European Space Agency and Sweden’s first astronaut Christer Fuglesang, and aims to strengthen innovation using knowledge and discoveries from outer space.

Stilfold’s pioneering technology, dubbed “industrial origami”, involves the use of robotic arms to fold sheets of steel over curves to form intricate and lightweight new shapes. It is particularly well-suited to the limitations of space, as it enables the construction of strong and complex structures stamping or welding. This has the potential to make it easier for astronauts to transport, preserve and construct resources.

Stilfold is currently being used by daughter company Stilride to build a sustainable steel e-motorcycle - but the potential applications for the technology are huge.

“We are constantly looking for new ways to innovate and push the boundaries of our technology, and exploring the possibilities of taking the concept into space feels extra exciting. In our quest to find materials and solutions that have a minimal environmental impact, it is also incredibly exciting to be able to leverage the research and innovation that has taken place and is taking place around space travel to explore new potential applications for Stilfold,” said Jonas Nyvang, CEO and co-founder at Stilfold.

Christer Fuglesang, astronaut and senior advisor to ISAAC added: “The results of the extremely advanced work that goes into getting us into space is knowledge and technology that can also be used to create better conditions for us humans on our beautiful blue planet."

Cecilia Hertz, co-founder of ISAAC, said: “Space travel places very high demands on the material being transported. Any solutions that can help us streamline and improve this are of great interest to the industry as a whole.” For more information, visit: www.stilfold.com

New developments in the Chemicals & Biochemicals

BRUGGOLEN®

TP-H2217 belongs to a new class of electrically neutral thermostabilisers from Brüggemann. Specially developed for reinforced and unreinforced aliphatic polyamides with metal- and halogen-free flame retardancy requirements, it ideally meets the needs of electrical and electronic applications, including those of e-mobility. Despite its high efficiency it neither has a corrosive effect on metallic components such as overmoulded sensors, nor does it influence the electrical properties of the polymer it is protecting in any significant way.

New metal- and halogen-free stabilisers from Brüggemann are designed to meet the increased requirements coming from the electrical and electronics industry and especially e-mobility. © Brüggemann.

The high efficiency of long-term stabilisation is demonstrated by the example of a PA6.6-GF30. After 8,000 h of heat storage at 170°C, the tensile strength values are still over 50%.

A key requirement of any additives used in e-mobility applications is that the flame retardancy properties of those applications are not harmed. BRUGGOLEN® TP-H2217 is neutral in this respect as is Brüggemann’s new flow enhancer, BRUGGOLEN® TP-P2201, which is used to process glass-fibre reinforced polyamides into thin-walled and complex components with long flow paths.

Dr Kristina Frädrich, Product Manager at Brüggemann, comments: "With BRUGGOLEN® TP-H2217, compounders can for the first time produce polyamide materials that combine a UL94 V-0 classification, electrical neutrality as well as permanent heat resistance at elevated temperatures, and are thus specially tailored to the increased requirements of e-mobility. With this combination, which neither phenol- nor amine-based grades can offer, Brüggemann raises the bar for thermo-stabilisers by a considerable margin."

BRUGGOLEN® TP-H2217 is available as an easy-to-process masterbatch in granular form, with a level of 3% proving sufficient for many applications in laboratory trials.