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If you've forgotten NASA after all the noise SpaceX has been making over the last few months, yes, they still exist and yes, they're still doing cool stuff! In a rover that leaves for Mars in 2020, a small drone has been developed to help the robot in its mission on the red planet. This is the first time that a flying drone has been developed for use on another planet and like all other objects launched in space, yes, it has solar panels.
What will this drone do? The rover is to look for organic compounds, produce oxygen from carbon dioxide and collect rock samples that will be recovered from the rover during a future mission. The little drone tries to help with all these tasks because it acts as a small scout flying high to map obstacles. It will also give scientists a not seen look before March of a high height. This can also be used to take a look at areas that the rover simply can not reach.
The specifications are not impressive, in fact, they are disappointing for what is supposed to be the first fully autonomous aircraft on another planet. The weight is 4 pounds (1.8 kg) and has a flight time of anywhere between a minute and a half to 2 minutes using the internal battery. This time, the helicopter will have the opportunity to reach a height of 1000 feet (300 meters), which should be enough to accomplish the tasks entrusted to it.
The drone will be accompanied by two different cameras, including only one navigation. The other is a higher resolution camera that is able to produce color images to send back to Earth.
Development
AeroVironment Inc. works alongside NASA's reaction propulsion laboratory at La Cañada-Flintridge to build the drone that could accompany the March 2020 robot. AeroVironment has abandoned many of their other projects to devote all their efforts to the construction of unmanned aerial vehicles.
According to the San Fernando Valley Business Journal, AeroVironment has made a significant contribution to JPL avionics, sensors and software. They built and developed propulsion engines, power electronics and lightweight, high-performance landing gear, making it a perfect combination to build the Mars drone
Differences between a drone on Earth and Mars
and the atmosphere are different on Mars than they are here on Earth, which has led to some problems. Jim Watzin, director of NASA's Mars Exploration Robotics Program at the agency's headquarters, said:
"The system was built, it was ground-tested and then placed in a room filled with Martian atmosphere (conditions). Some parts were removed from the helicopter to compensate for the 1g (gravity) field in order to get the good relationship between mass and acceleration on Mars, and we controlled the take-offs, l & # 39; Orientation, translations, landings and controlled landings in the room. We have done it many times. "
It seems that Watzin is very confident in the performance of the drone on Mars after tests that have been run several times." Small helicopter drone to accompany the rover March 2020
Limited Use
If a drone on Mars sounds like a great idea that could be beneficial to the mission, the team behind the March 2020 rover is not fully sold on the idea. "According to Spaceflight Now, Mission Planners Want to S & D Ensure that the drone will not collide with the rover, thereby damaging it, and that it will not produce too much dust. In a statement, Watzin said:
"If we were to fly the helicopter as a technical demonstration on something like March 2020, we would consider a very small number of flights to prove the aerodynamic and handling characteristics, and the concept of operations, and that would be the end of the demonstration. "
The drone flight on Mars is as close as it's ever been, the final stages are in place and if the leaders of this mission think that it can benefit Mars robot 2020, it will make the trip too.
What do you think of this drone developed for Mars? Let us know in the comments below
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Photo credit: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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