NASA’s Curiosity Rover
The Curiosity Rover is a car-sized rover that was launched by NASA from Cape Canaveral on November 26, 2011. It was then landed inside Gale crater on August 6, 2012. This rover has a range of instruments to conduct research on Mars, and is a part of the Mars Science Laboratory mission.
Landing assembly
When NASA’s Curiosity Rover arrived on Mars, it was a big deal. After nine years of engineering, the rover finally landed. It’s a mighty feat for a rover weighing nearly two pounds.
The rover itself has a lot to offer scientists, including a laser that can measure a chemical compound’s composition and a rotary drill that can collect rock powder for analysis. But one thing’s for sure: Curiosity’s landing is only the beginning of a long trek to the Red Planet.
In the nine months since Curiosity’s arrival, the rover has made some big discoveries. It has uncovered evidence of an ancient streambed and the presence of chemical compounds necessary for life.
What’s more, the rover also has discovered an ancient Martian habitable environment. The crater is called Gale Crater, and it’s located near the equator. If it’s inhabited in the past, it could offer an understanding of how our planet’s climate changed.
The rover has already sent back a bunch of images from space. These show the mineral signatures of water, and some hints at microbial life on the Red Planet. For now, the rover is simply exploring the environment around its landing site.
One of the most challenging parts of the landing process was lowering the rover. Using a tether and a JPL-patented sky crane, the rover was lowered to the surface. During the descent, a pyrotechnically released bolt was used to attach the heat shield.
Power system
A power system on Curiosity rover will allow it to last for years on Mars. The system includes two lithium-ion batteries and a radioisotope thermoelectric generator. It also has a floating bus design, which ensures that it can tolerate voltage differences between its chassis and power lines.
The battery system can store 140 watts of power, enough to run a desktop computer, monitor, or a camera. If the rover needs extra power, it can be recharged through power from the cruise-stage solar array. However, the batteries will need to be drained and refilled several times during a Martian day.
The rover’s energy management system allows it to predict future power needs. In addition to predicting when the rover will need to recharge, it can also diagnose any problems with its power system. During the rover’s cruise, it will be able to maintain its Li-ion rechargeable batteries at 70 percent charge.
When the rover first landed on Mars, it needed to have a reliable power source. Previously, landers used Photo-Voltaic (PV) panels and batteries. But the distance to the sun reduced the effectiveness of the panels. Additionally, the PV panels became covered with dust over time.
Several previous space missions, including Voyager, Cassini, Ulysses, and Pioneer used similar power systems. These systems are based on the heat generated by the decay of plutonium-238. Plutonium-238 is an isotope of plutonium, which has a half life of 87 years.
Science instruments
The NASA Curiosity Rover has 10 science instruments on board. These instruments are used to analyze the materials that make up the Martian surface. This will help researchers determine whether there is potential for habitability. Ultimately, this mission is a way for scientists to learn more about the history of Mars.
The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) is the most important instrument on the rover. It is comprised of several scientific instruments that can analyze soil and determine whether it contains organic compounds. In addition, it can double check the presence of organic material by looking at a sample that has been processed.
Another science instrument on the rover is the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer. This spectrometer uses x-rays to measure the composition of rocks. Aside from detecting chemical elements in the Martian rocks, the APXS can also provide information on the radiation on the planet.
An important scientific instrument on the rover is the Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN). This instrument can detect water on the Martian surface. Water absorbs neutrons differently than other materials. Using this instrument, scientists will be able to identify layers of water as high as six feet below the surface.
One of the more complex science instruments on the rover is the Mastcam-Z instrument. This camera is capable of taking panoramic pictures and stereoscopic images. They can also be used to identify targets on the Martian surface.
Cameras
Mars rover cameras are used by engineers to navigate the rover. Originally, these cameras were designed to have a stereo pair of 15x zoom lenses. Then, as dust covers were removed, these cameras were able to take better pictures. Now, they’re capable of taking color photographs and panoramas.
Each camera is specially designed to do its job. For example, the MAHLI camera is mounted on the robotic arm. This allows scientists to take photos of rocks and regolith close up. It also has a 39.4-degree field of view at the macro position, which is similar to the human eye.
These engineering cameras are smaller than modern smartphones. Their resolution is lower. However, it’s easier to transmit these images back to Earth. There are two main uses for these cameras: to collect samples and to monitor the hardware on the rover.
The cameras on Curiosity are capable of taking panoramas. These images are stitched together in a series. But, at the end of the video, the panorama is a bit blurry. They’ll be able to provide a full-resolution video within a couple days.
Mars rover cameras can be divided into two types: monochromatic and multicolor. Monochromatic images are easier to transmit to Earth. Colored photographs are used to analyze materials and help scientists determine which features to zoom on with spectrometers.
The Curiosity rover has a 2-megapixel sensor. The sensor is an interline CCD. Interline CCD sensors are similar to CMOS, but have smaller pixels. And they’re fast enough to record images at 720p.
Remote sensing mast
The Remote Sensing Mast on Curiosity Rover provides fast, high resolution geological surveys of the surrounding landscape. It also helps to quickly prioritize science targets. With the help of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), scientists can remotely determine the element composition of the materials in the surroundings.
The Mastcam cameras on Curiosity Rover take 2 megapixel color images. These images are 1600 pixels wide by 1200 pixels tall. They are then compressed into JPEG lossy format. Depending on the resolution and zoom level of the camera, they can store thousands of full-color images.
Each Mastcam has two camera heads. One has a 34-mm lens and the other has a 100-mm lens. A full-color video can be taken with each one. There is a mechanical focus on each camera, which allows it to focus between infinity and 2.1 meters.
The mast unit includes an IR spectrometer, RMI imager, laser and telescope. Light is reflected from the telescope to the body unit, which is then transmitted through a 6-m optical fiber. This translates to 10 cm per pixel at a distance of one km.
To provide a wide field of view, the science objectives required that the optical axis point down. The mast has a 180 deg elevation field of regard.
The Mastcam cameras have a filter wheel for studying geological targets. They also have a CMOS complementary metal-oxide semiconductor detector to give color images.
Communication subsystem
The communication subsystem of the Mars Curiosity rover includes a high-gain antenna, which is used to transmit to Earth. This system also includes a X-band radio system, which is used to communicate with orbiters.
X-band is a higher frequency than FM radio waves. It is a frequency that is reserved for deep space research. Several antennas on various parts of the spacecraft will be used for this purpose.
The X-band system also features an antenna on the lander, which will be used for receiving signals. In addition, a relay orbiter will pass over the rover in the afternoon, which will bring priority data down to the rover.
In addition to the high-gain antenna, the X-band radio system has several other antennas on different parts of the spacecraft. These antennas are used to communicate with orbiters and other deep space spacecraft.
The communications system is divided into three main components: the receiver, the transmitter, and the transceiver. Each component works together to generate signals for transmission. Once the signal has been generated, it is sent through a feed horn and then a diplexer to the antenna.
Antennas are selected for the specific application. They must have a small surface area, while minimizing the power requirements. Moreover, the mass of the rover will affect the design.
The transmission rate for the Mars Curiosity rover is 0.004 MB/s. This is equivalent to 1% of the capacity of a CD-ROM.
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