The future robotic and human exploration of Mars will rely heavily on mobile system to meet exploration objectives. In particular, the next decade of exploration (2009-2020) will utilize rovers and other mobile surface platforms to conduct a wide variety of tasks, including in the search for water and life, characterization of terrain and its geology, and conduct precursor measurements prepare for future human exploration. The objective of this study was to explore past, present, and future Mars rover concepts and compare their cost, size, and performance metrics in the context of the goals and objectives of the Mars Exploration Program. Numerous rover designs and concepts have been developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, including the successful Mars Pathfinder Sojourner rover, the Mars Explorations Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, and the next generation Mars rover MSL. In addition to these rovers, numerous concept studies have also been conducted and are included for comparison purposes. The goal of this study was to explore the continuum rovers designs over the widest possible range so that decision makers and mission planners can understand, to first order, cost and performance of future mobility system.
Mars Surface Mobility: Comparision of Past, Present, and Future Rover Systems
2005
6 pages
Report
No indication
English
The Mars Rover Mobility System
NTRS | 1997
|Mars exploration rover mobility development
Tema Archive | 2006
|