Enhanced multifunctional interface for reconfigurability of robotic teams in planetary applications

Exploration missions on extra terrestrial celestial bodies are to date performed by complex and heavy robotic systems. The trend is towards lighter modular systems that can be (re)configured in situ according to mission specific requirements. To facilitate flexible configurability, a multifunctional interconnect is used to mechanically couple the involved systems while providing electrical power and data transmission. The paper presents the further development of the reliable electromechanical interface (EMI) from the TransTerrA project, which has been proven in several field tests and reached TRL 4. Docking under loads of up to 550 N has been successfully tested with the new design. The experiments presented include undocking at various inclinations with different loads expected for the application scenario. The maximum determined static load that can be carried by the further developed EMI is 2000 N. In further experiments, new contact blocks responsible for the transfer of electrical power and data were tested for water resistance and resilience to environmental factors, as well as power and data transfer. The obtained results will be helpful in the development of a multi-functional interface suitable for lunar applications and missions having similar challenging environmental conditions.