Week 9 - Mark F.

This week, I focused on two major aspects of the Astraeus project: refining the project report and further developing the 5-axis arm.

A good portion of my time was spent formatting and refining the first two chapters of the Astraeus project report. With the report progressing, I focused most of my attention to the mechanical side of Astraeus—specifically, the mounting and core design of the 5-axis arm. The recent frame adjustments required modifications to the mounting point of the arm, which I worked on to ensure a secure and efficient attachment to the rover.

The Astraeus frame showcasing the integration of a robotic arm shoulder rotation servo with an attached base plate, featuring a 4-inch lazy Susan to reduce the load on the servo during operation.

As I developed the core components of the arm, I realized the importance of incorporating a spring assist system to reduce torque strain on the servos. Over Spring break I plan to continue to refine the arm’s design with the integrated springs, finalize the brush attachment, and further develop the report as Astraeus moves closer to its next testing phase.

Prototype of the Astraeus frame showcasing a preliminary installation of a robotic arm for reference purposes.