NASA scientists successfully deployed pavers telerobotically in Hawaii Thursday.
The video below was filmed at the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems’ new Vertical Take-off, Vertical Landing Pad in Keaau, Hawaii. The footage shows PISCES’ robotic rover deploying pavers. Scientists involved with the project at the NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Swamp Works Control Center controlled the robot seen in the video and deployed the pavers telerobotically.
The area is the only lunar landing pad site in the state. The goal is to have our robotic rover create a VTVL pad by placing basalt pavers onto the site. A similar technique will be used in space to build landing and launch pads in the future.
Development of the site is part of PISCES’ Additive Construction for Mobile Emplacement project and is a partnership with NASA Swamp Works, Honeybee Robotics, ARGO, Hawaii County Department of Research and Development and the state of Hawaii.