Mars Science Laboratory: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 08:20, 6 August 2012

Revision as of 08:22, 6 August 2012

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* '''Communications:''' ''Curiosity'' has two means of communication – an [[X band]] [[transponder (satellite communications)|transmitter and receiver]] that can communicate directly with Earth, and a UHF [[Electra (radio)|Electra]]-Lite [[software-defined radio]] for communicating with Mars orbiters. Communication with orbiters is expected to be the main path for data return to Earth, since the orbiters have both more power and larger antennas than the lander.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://descanso.jpl.nasa.gov/DPSummary/Descanso14_MSL_Telecom.pdf |title=Mars Science Laboratory Telecommunications System Design |author= Andre Makovsky, Peter Ilott, Jim Taylor|publisher=JPL |year=2009 }}</ref>

:At landing, telemetry will bewas monitored by the [[Mars Odyssey]] satellite, [[Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter]] and ESA's [[Mars Express]]. Odyssey is capable of relaying UHF telemetry back to Earth in real time, which will taketakes 13:46 minutes.<ref>[http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=mars+earth+distance+august+5+2012 Mars Earth distance in light minutes, Wolfram Alpha]</ref><ref>[http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/msl/120731relay/ Relay sats provide ringside seat for Mars rover landing, William Harwood, CBS News]</ref>

* '''Mobility systems:''' Like previous rovers [[Mars Exploration Rover]]s and [[Mars Pathfinder]], ''Curiosity'' is equipped with 6 wheels in a [[rocker-bogie]] suspension. The suspension system will also serve as landing gear for the vehicle, unlike its smaller predecessors.<ref name="new wheels">{{cite web |title=Next Mars Rover Sports a Set of New Wheels |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/msl20100701.html |publisher=NASA/JPL}}</ref> ''Curiosity'' has wheels which are significantly larger than those used on previous rovers. Each wheel has a pattern that helps it maintain traction but also leaves patterned tracks in the sandy surface of Mars. That pattern is used by on-board cameras to judge the distance traveled. The pattern itself is [[Morse code]] for "JPL" (·--- ·--· ·-··).<ref name=aarlmorse>{{cite web|title=New Mars Rover to Feature Morse Code|url=http://www.arrl.org/news/new-mars-rover-to-feature-morse-code|publisher=National Association for Amateur Radio}}</ref>