Progress in Remotely Operated Equipment
Dr. Robert Ballard found the wreck of the Titanic in 1985 using a remotely operated sled-like device called "Argo". It carried TV cameras just above the seabed at a depth of 13,000 feet.[1] Today in addition to cameras and radar undersea ROV's can carry claw manipulators and electronic equipment that provides earth referenced position.[2] In 2004 a French cabling company developed a remotely operated undersea dredging machine called Spider that can move about with thrusters or powered tracks. It uses water jetting and suction to move sea bottom material and has an arm that can use various tools as end effectors without coming up to the surface to change tools. Spider can be used to level a path for pipeline on the sea bottom.[3]
Remotely operated equipment just keeps getting better. Progress in the use of such equipment on Luna to develop the technology for lunar conditions as much as to accomplish exploration tasks is way past due.
