Title:
HiveR Mind - Conception of a Technology Demonstrator for Swarm-Based Lunar Exploration
HiveR Mind - Konzeption eines Technologiedemonstrators für die schwarmbasierte Exploration des Mondes
Authors:
A. Lunding, M. von Unwerth, K. Korte, L. Fox, A. Thakur, S. Silvestri
Abstract:
The "Lunar Springboard", which is intended to facilitate access to Mars and other celestial bodies in the solar system, is increasingly coming into focus in current space missions. The HiveR ecosystem is expected to make an important contribution to the development of the Moon. The fundamental building block in this regard is the HiveR Rover, a mobile robotic platform with a payload volume in the form of a CubeSat. By using the CubeSat standard as a payload interface, a variety of application areas are opening up for the versatile rovers from the Berlin company Neurospace GmbH. This article presents a navigation payload for conducting a swarm-based exploration mission on the lunar surface. The mission objectives, which serve as a basis for deriving requirements for the navigation payload, are based on existing and planned lunar missions. In addition to a technology demonstrator, a simulation was created in which multiple HiveR rovers equipped with the payload can be simulated in a lunar environment. The ROS-based software of the payload enables the robotic platform to perform simultaneous localization and mapping, as well as autonomous navigation, and serves as a foundation for the development of a robust cooperative multi-agent system. This evaluates the collaboration of multiple HiveR rovers in a swarm and the performance of the HiveR rover in the lunar environment. The goal of the project is to further promote efficient and cost-effective exploration of the Moon. It opens up numerous usage possibilities for both research and commercial scenarios and demonstrates how applications in different areas of deployment can benefit from each other through mutual transfer technologies.
Event:
Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 2024, Hamburg
Location, Year:
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt - Lilienthal-Oberth e.V., Bonn, 2025
Format:
21,0 x 29,7 cm, 13 Pages
Descriptors:
EN: Moon, rover, space robotics, exploration, ISRU
Citation:
Lunding, A.; von Unwerth, M.; et al. (2025): HiveR Mind - Konzeption eines Technologiedemonstrators für die schwarmbasierte Exploration des Mondes. DGLR Published Conference Papers. Volume 4. (2026). ISSN: 2941-3451. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt - Lilienthal-Oberth e.V.. (Text). https://doi.org/10.25967/630429. urn:nbn:de:101:1-2510221517419.789630175719.
Publishing Date:
22.10.2025