Radar for rovers on future Mars trips?
By Sid Perkins
From Calgary, Alberta, at the Earth Systems Processes 2 meeting of the Geological Society of America and the Geological Association of Canada
Scientists are developing ground-penetrating-radar equipment that could serve as geologists’ helpers on future Mars-roving vehicles.
The antenna that transmits the ground-probing signals for such a system could be built into a 50-centimeter-square patch on the rover’s undercarriage, says Kevin K. Williams, a geologist at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The electronics that would emit radar pulses and interpret their reflections would consume only 6.5 watts of power—little more than a child’s nightlight. Altogether, the equipment could weigh less than 3 kilograms.