Honeybee Robotics
Honeybee Robotics Spacecraft Mechanisms Corporation is a small spacecraft technology and robotics company[1] headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, with offices in Altadena, California and Longmont, Colorado.[2] It was established in 1983 by Stephen Gorevan[3] and Chris Chapman.[4] In June 2017, Honeybee Robotics was acquired by Ensign-Bickford Industries.[5][6]
Founded | New York, NY, USA (1983) |
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Founders |
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Headquarters | , United States |
Number of locations | 3 Locations (2017) |
Parent | Ensign-Bickford Company |
Products
Honeybee has particular expertise in developing and operating small mechanical tools used on Mars missions. Some of the robotic devices it has developed and successfully demonstrated on Mars include:
- The Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) instruments used on both Mars Exploration Rovers[7]
- The Icy Soil Acquisition Device (ISAD), sometimes called the "Phoenix Scoop,"[8] a soil scoop and a precision ice-sampling tool successfully demonstrated on the 2008 Mars Phoenix Lander mission
- The Sample Manipulation System and Dust Removal Tool used on the Mars Science Laboratory mission, which landed in August 2012[9]
In addition, they were developing tools that would be used to live and work on the moon as part of NASA's Constellation program.[10] They are now helping design instruments for NASA's VIPER rover.
Honeybee develops systems for future missions to Mars,[11] Venus, the moon, two Jovian moons,[11] and asteroid[12] and comet sample return,[13] among others. They worked with Bigelow Aerospace to develop a preliminary design for a solar array deployment mechanism that was used on the solar arrays of their Genesis inflatable space habitat. Terrestrial projects include developing mechanisms, installations, and systems for a broad array of clients including Con Edison, the U.S. Navy, Coca-Cola, Nike, and architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro.[14]
References
- Erik Baard, "Alligators Below City? Try Robo-Inchworms", New York Times, BUSINESS: DIARY; November 10, 2002
- "Locations - Honeybee Robotics". honeybeerobotics.com. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- Kenneth Chang, "Martian Robots, Taking Orders From a Manhattan Walk-Up," New York Times, November 7, 2004
- Greg Clark, "Mars Sample Mission -- Here's the Drill Archived 2001-02-12 at the Wayback Machine," Space.com, posted August 11, 1999
- http://www.eba-d.com/news-and-events/ensign-bickford/
- http://www.coloradospacenews.com/honeybee-robotics-has-been-acquired-by-ensign-bickford-industries/
- "Touch and Go Days - Astrobiology Magazine". astrobio.net. 7 February 2004. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- "http://www.honeybeerobotics.com/isad.html". honeybeerobotics.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2016. External link in
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(help) - http://msl-scicorner.jpl.nasa.gov/Instruments/SAM/
- "How to build lunar homes from moon dirt - USATODAY.com". usatoday.com. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- K. Zacny, G. Paulsen, K. Davis, E. Mumm, and S. Gorevan, Honeybee Robotics Planetary Sample Acquisition, Transfer and Processing Technologies, presented at Mars Sample Return 2008, Lunar and Planetary Science Institute.
- Derek Sears, Carl Allen, Dan Britt, Don Brownlee, Melissa Franzen, Leon Gefert, Stephen Gorovan, Carle Pieters, Jeffrey Preble, Dan Scheeres and Ed Scott, "The Hera mission: multiple near-earth asteroid sample return," Advances in Space Research, Volume 34, Issue 11, 2004, pp. 2270-2275 doi:10.1016/j.asr.2003.05.059
- S. Gorevan, I. Yachbes, P. Bartlett, K.Zacny, G. L. Paulsen, T. Kennedy, B. Basso, and J. Wilson, "Comet and Asteroid Sample Acquisition, Containerization, and Transfer for Sample Return", presented at Spacecraft Reconnaissance of Asteroid and Comet Interiors (2006).
- "http://www.honeybeerobotics.com/mission.html". honeybeerobotics.com. Archived from the original on 26 March 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2016. External link in
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