Abstract:
In this paper we present the approach for autonomous planetary
exploration developed at the Canadian Space Agency. The goal of this
work is to enable autonomous navigation to remote locations, well
beyond the sensing horizon of the rover, with minimal interaction with
a human operator. We employ LIDAR range sensors due to their accuracy,
long range and robustness in the harsh lighting conditions of
space. Irregular Triangular Meshes (ITMs) are used for representing
the environment, providing an accurate, yet compact, spatial
representation. In this paper a novel path-planning technique through
the ITM is introduced, which guides the rover through flat terrain and
safely away from obstacles. Experiments performed in CSA’s Mars
emulation terrain, validating our approach, are also presented.