The project aims to develop small sensor platforms with maneuvering capabilities for pressurized space-based habitats. The goal is to produce cost-effective and lightweight systems that could prove useful in a space laboratory or habitat.
SpaceBots Phase 1 shall consist of the following: acrylic frame panels and braces, a combined temperature, pressure and humidity sensor, a 2.4GHz (ISM-band) transceiver, and an Arduino-capable microcontroller (most likely ATMEGA328 for now).
A consideration not to be forgotten is outgassing of potential platform materials. Through some research ti appears NASA keeps a rather detailed list of such things. Guess it's time to get reading.
Since there will undoubtedly be more than one of these SpaceBots! in operation, its logical that they should be aware of each other. This could be taken further, with a collaborative arrangement made between different SpaceBots!
Communications will probably be through cheap, readily available means in early phases, such as ISM-band transceivers or Bluetooth / BLE.
Small, light flying robots designed for use in pressurized space environments. Main propulsion should be fans (though there may be problems with micro-gravity and inertial moments of fans). The first phase systems will use micro-controller development platforms (probably Arduino); later phases may transition to faster ARM architectures. The intent is sensing, so cameras, temp/humidity/pressure, light, etc. sensors are fair game.