Space Cargo And Reconnaisance - Explorer
Next-generation surface mobility
Features
The Space Cargo and Reconnaissance Explorer, or SCAR-E for short, is a novel climbing robotic platform developed by AMC in collaboration with Tohoku University Space Robotics Lab (SRL), Japan.
​
Gripping the surface as it walks, SCAR-E's design allows targeted sampling and operations in microgravity environments and for the automation of high-risk tasks in industry here on Earth.
Our Approach
While designed for space operations, SCAR-E is no less capable in terrestrial settings. It is a versatile robotic platform with applications ranging from space exploration to automating industrial inspections. With AMC’s stated goal of being the first profitable space resources company, we are placing an emphasis on terrestrial commercialisation as we build out our space exploration capabilities.
SCAR-E:
Terrestrial Applications
On Earth, SCAR-E serves as a ruggedised payload delivery and inspection platform. Its modular grippers that enable it to traverse any terrain - no matter how complex, steep or hazardous - and use its modular payload bay and attachments to carry out a wide range of missions.
​
The space-capable design of the robot is meant to withstand exposure to radiation, high accelerations experienced during space launch, and extreme temperatures found in space. This degree of ruggedisation enables it to operate in almost any terrestrial setting - from below the waterline to above the clouds, from the Arctic to near a live reactor core - and ensure critical data is collected whilst keeping humans out of harm’s way.
Due to its space heritage, SCAR-E’s software is designed for operations where real-time control is impossible due to time-lag caused by distance from the Earth.
​
SCAR-E is equipped with advanced path planning and swarm coordination capabilities, allowing inspection routines and data collection to be carried out with minimal human oversight, including in GPS-denied and comms-limited enviornments. SCAR-E’s unique climbing capabilities also enable it to go where other robots cannot, filling a niche between human operators and UAVs to enable tactile inspection in hard-to-access areas without risk to human operators.