Running head GROUP PROJECT1GROUP PROJECT3.docx
- 1. Running head: GROUP PROJECT 1 GROUP PROJECT 3 Group Project Name Institutional Affiliation Group Project Mars 2020 Rover NASA’s Mars 2020 is a rover mission set to gather information from Mars, such that they can review whether the planet is habitable. The rover will investigate the geological history and processes, determining the potential for preserving biosignatures within the planet’s geological material, while caching sample containers on its course for a sample return mission (Bernard & Farley, 2016). The rover’s design applies a similar concept as that of the Curiosity rover. The rover contains three major components; the entry, descent, and landing system (EDLS) which form the cruise stage for travel between the two planets. The EDLS comprises of different components, including a descent vehicle, a parachute, an aeroshell, a sky crane, and the rover. The rover has an upgraded guidance and control technique called the Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN), used to perfect steering and
- 2. navigation during the touchdown stage. Landing accuracy is estimated to average within 130ft (40 meters) while avoiding obstacles. Previous systems such as the Xombie rocket were used to assess the Lander Vision System (LVS), which was part of an experimental process dubbed the Autonomous Descent and Ascent Powered-flight Testbed (ADAPT) (Voosen, 2018). These tests aimed to improve the accuracy of landing while avoiding obstacle risks. The rover has a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG), that will be its source of power. It was designed to be durable, withstanding harsh environmental conditions such as dust storms and winter storms. The MMRTG uses plutonium dioxide as its energy source, converting heat into electricity (Voosen, 2018). The rover also contains two rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that meet the needs of the rover in situations where the need surpasses the output levels of the generator. The rover has long-lasting aluminum wheels, sheltered with cleats for grip, with curved titanium bars for sustenance. Similar Systems & Missions Curiosity Rover With its car-sized shape, the rover was made for the exploration of the crater Gale on Mars. The mission was part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Mission. The mission involved gathering information regarding the geology and climate on Mars, as part of an assessment of the environmental conditions within the crater, and whether the conditions favor microbial life. The rover contains only 23% of its original mass, as the rest was discarded during transport and in the landing stages (Lakdawalla, 2018). It has a generator fueled by a radioisotope pellet contained within a graphite shell. The generator is a radioisotope thermoelectric generator that produces electricity by converting decaying radioactive isotopes like plutonium-238 into electric voltage. The thermal system within the rover warms it, depending on the temperatures on the selected area of study. It does this through dissipation to the internal components by strategically
- 3. placed electric heaters within the rover, and through the heat rejection system in the rover. These two main functions are sustained at optimal temperatures at all times. The heat rejection system has cooling functions if the temperatures are too high. The rover has two identical onboard computers, which have been wired to sustain extreme radiation exposure and protect against power-off cycles. The computers use the VxWorks real-time operating system (RTOS). Each computer has a memory of 256kB EEPROM, 2GB flash memory, and 256 MB of DRAM (Witze, 2014). Curiosity relays information through relay satellites from Mars’ orbit. It has a UHF Electra- Lite software-defined radio, designed for communication within the Mars Orbit and an X band receiver and transmitter that bridges communication with Earth. The latter is how data is relayed to Earth, and because they are higher powered than the systems on the lander, data is relayed faster. Spirit Rover The Spirit Rover, also referred to as MER-2 or MER-A (Mars Exploration Rover – A), was one of two rovers sent to Mars for exploration purposes as the pilot mission. It was disregarded in 2010, which is the year it last sent a transmission, after it faced harsh environmental conditions in 2009 and got stuck in soft sand, hindering its mobility and battery recharge functions. Its objectives were to conduct investigations on Mars, determining the soil and rock structure, mineral composition, geological processes, surface topography, and atmospheric conditions on the planet (Monod, 2019). The main objective was to deduce whether the planet was conducive to human and plant life. Spirit was a six-wheeled robot, powered by solar energy. The wheels each had their motor. At night, the rover was powered lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Spirit was equipped with an onboard computer that operated using a 20 MHz RAD6000 CPU with 256 MB of flash memory, 3 MB of EEPROM, and 128 MB of DRAM. Spirit contained a gold film and was layered with silica aerogel for insulation. Operational temperatures would be between −39 to
- 4. +39 °C (−40 to 104 °F). The radioisotope heater present in the rover regulates temperatures depending on the environmental conditions. The rover was equipped with an omnidirectional low-gain antenna, which was used for relaying information at low data speeds, and a high-gain antenna, which would relay information at fast speeds (Hoffman, 2017). Both antennas communicated directly with Earth; however, the low gain antenna would also relay data to nearby space crafts on Mars’ Orbit. References Bernard, D., & Farley, K. (2016). Mars 2020 rover mission status in 2016. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/2014/46233 Hoffman, Stephen J. "Human Mars Mission Power Architectures." (2017). Retrieved from https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/201700069 34.pdf Lakdawalla, E. (2018). The Design and Engineering of Curiosity: How the Mars Rover Performs Its Job. Springer. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=1npTDwAAQ BAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=mars+rover+design&ots=H- 9YrsYfmY&sig=xKJTJV_rRMibaMrAfi0MaAuDLfs&redir_esc= y#v=onepage&q=mars%20rover%20design&f=false Voosen, P. (2018). NASA's next Mars rover aims to explore two promising sites. Retrieved from DOI: 10.1126/science.362.6411.139 Witze, A. (2014). NASA plans Mars sample-return rover. Nature News, 509(7500), 272. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/news/nasa-plans-mars-sample-return- rover-1.15207 Monod, A. (2019). 6.2 Mars Rover Spirit Flash Memory Problem. Bits and Bugs: A Scientific and Historical Review of Software Failures in Computational Science, 29, 164. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=viWPDwAAQ BAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA164&dq=spirit+rover+mission+2004&ots=
- 5. bKFBP0Nepk&sig=uUet8lcGj5hs5TQF4zYYHAEvkWg&redir_e sc=y#v=onepage&q=spirit%20rover%20mission%202004&f=fal se Group Design Project: Presentation Each group member will submit their research project presentation · The presentation should be at least 4 slides and include diagrams or multimedia materials depicting an overview of the design, operation of the robotic system, proposed design changes, supporting information and presenter notes. · Each participant is expected to take responsibility for at least two of the following coverage areas: a. system design, (2 slides) b. similar systems/missions, (2 slides) Tutor: Please keep the powerpoint simple, No animation. Thanks