Florida Space Institute – BLDC Motor Control System

Discipline: CS

Advisor: Edward Amoruso

Our senior design project redesigns the control system of the Florida Space Institute’s RE-RASSOR lunar rover. We have done so by replacing the legacy stepper motor configuration with an improved Brushless DC (BLDC) motor architecture. Although the original stepper system delivered adequate torque and precise movement, it was large, heavy, and power intensive; limitations that are critical in mass and energy constrained space environments. Our solution engineers an end-to-end motor architecture, including motor selection and synchronization, custom driver configuration, microcontroller based control, power distribution, and wiring harness design. Through software implemented commutation and precise timing, our BLDC system emulates stepper motor incremental positioning while significantly reducing overall size, weight, and power consumption. The architecture is designed for seamless integration with current rover subsystems and emphasizes reliability, efficiency, and scalability. This approach offers a more compact and energy efficient alternative to traditional stepper systems without sacrificing torque or positional accuracy. Beyond lunar platforms, the architecture has applications in traditional robotics, autonomous vehicles, and other embedded systems requiring precise motion control under strict operating constraints. By optimizing both hardware and control strategy, this project advances lightweight, high efficiency solutions for the next generation robotic exploration and autonomous engineering systems.

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