Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
group
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Jonah Graff, Junior
Lead Presenter's Name
Jonah Graff
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Engineering
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Cagri Kilic
Abstract
Just as on Earth, future lunar operations will require accurate characterization of surface conditions. On Earth, a proven method for this is Cone Penetration Testing (CPT), which evaluates soil bearing capacity and stratification. This information is vital for lunar operations, including habitat construction, resource extraction, and safe pathfinding. However, traditional CPT systems are designed for human operation and lack autonomy. This project addresses that limitation by developing an autonomous, in-situ terrain characterization system for lunar surfaces. The device is driven by ball-screw actuators powered by stepper motors and controlled through an Arduino Mega, using a combination of metal and 3D-printed components. Preliminary testing in a sand-filled soil bin demonstrated sufficient motor torque for full-depth penetration at a controlled rate, validating the mechanical design for future iterations. Planned improvements include load cell integration for real-time tip resistance measurement, motor encoder feedback for closed-loop velocity control, and an expanded range of motion. Integration with the existing rover platform has begun, with power system optimization through DC-DC conversion as the first step. When complete, the platform will enable autonomous surface and subsurface profiling to support site selection and foundation design for future lunar infrastructure.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Robotic Arm Development for Cone Penetration Testing on the lunar surface
Just as on Earth, future lunar operations will require accurate characterization of surface conditions. On Earth, a proven method for this is Cone Penetration Testing (CPT), which evaluates soil bearing capacity and stratification. This information is vital for lunar operations, including habitat construction, resource extraction, and safe pathfinding. However, traditional CPT systems are designed for human operation and lack autonomy. This project addresses that limitation by developing an autonomous, in-situ terrain characterization system for lunar surfaces. The device is driven by ball-screw actuators powered by stepper motors and controlled through an Arduino Mega, using a combination of metal and 3D-printed components. Preliminary testing in a sand-filled soil bin demonstrated sufficient motor torque for full-depth penetration at a controlled rate, validating the mechanical design for future iterations. Planned improvements include load cell integration for real-time tip resistance measurement, motor encoder feedback for closed-loop velocity control, and an expanded range of motion. Integration with the existing rover platform has begun, with power system optimization through DC-DC conversion as the first step. When complete, the platform will enable autonomous surface and subsurface profiling to support site selection and foundation design for future lunar infrastructure.