Aviation

Super Ball BOT

Super Ball Bot is an all-in-one landing and mobility platform based on tensegrity structures, allowing for lower-cost, and more reliable planetary missions. Inspiration strikes from the most unlikely sources.

Adrian Agogino and Vytas Sunspiral of NASA’s Intelligent Systems Division and Fellows of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program (www.nasa.gov/niac) are in the process of developing a Super Ball Bot–a collapsible, terrestrial robot based on a tensegrity toy that could one day become important to NASA’s exploration goals.

These planetary surface explorers are sturdier and can withstand a substantial impact. The Super Ball Bot has a sphere-like matrix of cables and joints that could withstand being dropped from a spacecraft high above a planetary surface and hit the ground with a bounce.

Once on the planet, the joints could adjust to roll the bot in any direction while housing a data collecting device within its core. The lighter weight and maneuverability of the Super Ball Bot could make an exploration mission possible to Saturn’s moon Titan. It has a soft planetary surface more like hazardous marsh with lakes of liquid methane that would not be suitable for a traditional rover that could sink down and get stuck.

Aviation

Boeing, Antonov to Collaborate on Defense Projects

– MOU represents Boeing’s commitment to work with Ukrainian industry

– Includes exploring opportunities for collaborating on in-country support of Unmanned Aerial Systems

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today by Boeing and Antonov Company to investigate potential collaboration on defense-related projects.

“We’re happy to keep collaborating with the Antonov Company to help Ukraine’s economic development and expansion,” stated Ted Colbert, CEO and president of Boeing Defence, Space, & Security.

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“This agreement demonstrates our ongoing efforts to find more opportunities to work with Ukrainian industry, which was underscored by our signing of the Ukrainian Defence Industry Compact earlier this year.”

The areas of potential collaboration identified in the agreement consist of training, logistical support and overhaul services for tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems utilized by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which includes the ScanEagle. In addition, the companies will also explore opportunities for Antonov to provide engineering support to Boeing.

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“A strong, innovative, and efficient defense industry is key to sustainable economic development and national security, and we are extremely excited to collaborate with Boeing,” said Ievhen Gavrylov, CEO of Antonov Company.

This agreement brings a whole new level of opportunity to implement the latest and most effective solutions – in addition to the possibility of future projects with Boeing in the aerospace and defense industry.”