Reach Bot

Overview

ReachBot is a robotic platform engineered for Mars exploration, featuring extendable, rollable booms that serve as both limbs and structural supports. This innovative design allows the robot to reach out, grasp distant surfaces, and pull itself forward, enabling it to traverse steep inclines, uneven rocky floors, and confined spaces that challenge traditional rovers.

ReachBot works like a rock climber with super-strong, extendable arms. It can quickly move by reaching out and grabbing faraway objects, much like a climber securing the next handhold, while staying safely anchored by adjusting the lengths and angles of its arms. This secure anchoring allows it to cover a large area, and thanks to its powerful arms, it can push, pull, and twist with great force to perform heavy-duty tasks.

Uniquely adapted for Martian cave exploration, ReachBot’s flexible booms can adjust their length and orientation in real time to secure a firm grip on irregular surfaces, including vertical and narrow structures. This capability not only facilitates the safe traversal of cave systems but also provides access to ancient geological formations, potentially unlocking new insights into Mars’ historical and scientific record.