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Robotics in Space

1. Read the Mars Exploration Rover Mission_ Overview article below and give a page overview of the
Mars Exploration Mission and how robots play a role in this mission.
2. Read the Mars Exploration Rover Mission_ The Mission article below and for each heading, find the
following information and copy it into your workbook.

BODY:
i)
ii)

Whats the main purpose of the body


How high is the mast and why is it this height

BRAINS
i)
how is the Rovers health monitored
EYES
i)

LEGS
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)

Define and explain what each of the following cameras are used for:
- Pancam
- Navcam
- Hazcam

how fast can the Rover travel


what is the Rovers maximum angle of tilt
what type of obstacles can the Rover get over
what does each wheel have to improve mobility and traction

ENERGY
i)
what is the main source of energy
ii)
how much energy can be generated
iii)
who does the Rover work at night and in the dark

O:\Computing Studies\MIR&BRB\Resources\Year 9 IST\Topic 2 - Robotics and Automated Systems\Robotics in Space worksheet.doc


site last viewed 26 July 2004

Web

Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Overview

+ NASA Homepage
+ NASA en Espaol
+ Marte en
Espaol

Summary
NASA's twin robot geologists, the Mars Exploration Rovers,
launched toward Mars on June 10 and July 7, 2003, in search
of answers about the history of water on Mars. They landed on
Mars January 3 and January 24 PST, 2004 (January 4 and
January 25 UTC, 2004).
+ Mars Home
+ Rovers Home

The Mars Exploration Rover mission is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of
robotic exploration of the red planet.
Primary among the mission's scientific goals is to search for and characterize a wide range of rocks and
soils that hold clues to past water activity on Mars. The spacecraft are targeted to sites on opposite sides
of Mars that appear to have been affected by liquid water in the past. The landing sites are at Gusev
Crater, a possible former lake in a giant impact crater, and Meridiani Planum, where mineral deposits
(hematite) suggest Mars had a wet past.
After the airbag-protected landing craft settled onto the surface and opened, the rovers rolled out to take
panoramic images. These images give scientists the information they need to select promising geological
targets that tell part of the story of water in Mars' past. Then, the rovers drive to those locations to perform
on-site scientific investigations.
These are the primary science instruments carried by the rovers:

Panoramic Camera (Pancam): for determining the mineralogy, texture, and structure of
the local terrain.
Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES): for identifying promising
rocks and soils for closer examination and for determining the processes that formed Martian
rocks. The instrument is designed to look skyward to provide temperature profiles of the Martian
atmosphere.
Mssbauer Spectrometer (MB): for close-up investigations of the mineralogy of ironbearing rocks and soils.

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/overview/ (1 of 2) [24/06/2009 4:14:56 PM]

Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Overview

Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS): for close-up analysis of the abundances
of elements that make up rocks and soils.
Magnets: for collecting magnetic dust particles. The Mssbauer Spectrometer and the Alpha
Particle X-ray Spectrometer are designed to analyze the particles collected and help determine the
ratio of magnetic particles to non-magnetic particles. They can also analyze the composition of
magnetic minerals in airborne dust and rocks that have been ground by the Rock Abrasion Tool.
Microscopic Imager (MI): for obtaining close-up, high-resolution images of rocks and soils.
Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT): for removing dusty and weathered rock surfaces and exposing
fresh material for examination by instruments onboard.

Before landing, the goal for each rover was to drive up to 40 meters (about 44 yards) in a single day, for a
total of up to one 1 kilometer (about three-quarters of a mile). Both goals have been far exceeded! Where
are the rovers now?
Moving from place to place, the rovers perform on-site geological investigations. Each rover is sort of the
mechanical equivalent of a geologist walking the surface of Mars. The mast-mounted cameras are
mounted 1.5 meters(5 feet) high and provide 360-degree, stereoscopic, humanlike views of the terrain.
The robotic arm is capable of movement in much the same way as a human arm with an elbow and wrist,
and can place instruments directly up against rock and soil targets of interest. In the mechanical "fist" of
the arm is a microscopic camera that serves the same purpose as a geologist's handheld magnifying lens.
The Rock Abrasion Tool serves the purpose of a geologist's rock hammer to expose the insides of rocks.

+ Freedom of Information Act


+ The President's Management Agenda
+ FY 2002 Agency Performance and
accountability report
+ NASA Privacy Statement, Disclaimer, and
Accessiblity Certification
+ Freedom to Manage

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/overview/ (2 of 2) [24/06/2009 4:14:56 PM]

Last Updated: 23 Jan 2009


05:51:40 UTC
+ Comments and Questions

Mars Exploration Rover Mission: The Mission

+ NASA Homepage
+ NASA en Espaol
+ Marte en
Espaol

Spacecraft: Surface Operations: Rover


The Mars Exploration Rovers act as robot geologists
while they are on the surface of Mars.
You can explore the various parts of the rover by
clicking on the image to the left.

+ Mars Home
+ Rovers Home

In some senses, the rovers parts are similar to what


any living creature would need to keep it "alive" and
able to explore.
The rover has a:

Cruise Configuration
Entry, Descent, and Landing
Configuration
Aeroshell
Parachute
Airbags
Lander
Surface Operations
Configuration
Rover
Instruments

a body: a structure that protects the rovers "vital organs"

brains: computers to process information

temperature controls: internal heaters, a layer of insulation, and more

a "neck and head": a mast for the cameras to give the rovers a human-scale view

eyes and other "senses": cameras and instruments that give the rovers information about their
environment

arm: a way to extend its reach

wheels and "legs": parts for mobility

energy: batteries and solar panels

communications: antennas for "speaking" and "listening"

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/spacecraft_surface_rover.html (1 of 2) [24/06/2009 4:15:08 PM]

Mars Exploration Rover Mission: The Mission

+ Freedom of Information Act


+ The President's Management Agenda
+ FY 2002 Agency Performance and
accountability report
+ NASA Privacy Statement, Disclaimer, and
Accessiblity Certification
+ Freedom to Manage

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/spacecraft_surface_rover.html (2 of 2) [24/06/2009 4:15:08 PM]

Last Updated: 24 Jan 2009


01:23:24 UTC
+ Comments and Questions

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