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Communication with Mars. Robots and Landers (Reliability). Earth and Orbiters. UHF (Ultra High Frequency) antenna on each rovers relays information to Mars Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor orbiters – these orbiters must be in view of the rover that is trying to communicate
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Communication with Mars Robots and Landers (Reliability)
Earth and Orbiters • UHF (Ultra High Frequency) antenna on each rovers relays information to Mars Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor orbiters – these orbiters must be in view of the rover that is trying to communicate • There are specific times in the Martian day when the rovers can send messages to the spacecraft • Information will be stored on each orbiter and then sent to Earth sometime within the next two days – orbiters have much more power and bigger antennas than rovers to relay information to Earth
Earth and Mars Rovers • There is a lag time when communicating between Earth and Mars this lag time grows as the mission progresses because Earth and Mars move away from each other in their orbits • Beginning of mission – radio signal takes 10 minutes to Mars • End of mission – one-way radio signal takes 20 minutes to Mars • Rovers communicate with each other and the NASA DSN through X-band waves (Radio waves at higher frequency)
Earth and Astronauts on Mars • Astronauts on Mars will be unable to have synchronous conversations with those on Earth mainly because of a 44 minute communication delay between the two planets. • They will also not be able to have the ground-based psychological support sessions usually available to astronauts and cosmonauts in space to ensure that microgravity has not affected their minds. • Astronauts will therefore face extreme isolation due to lack of contact and will have to deal with problems single-handedly.
Astronauts on Mars • Sound cannot travel through the vacuum of space, but visible light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation can. • One of these forms is commonly called radio. The astronauts have devices in their helmets which transfer the sound waves from their voices into radio waves. • Radio waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation analogous to visible light, and therefore can propagate through a vacuum.
Things to Consider… • Factors affecting the reliability of rovers and communication devices • Example: Sand or dust Storms : Positioning of Orbiters
MARS TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM • http://marstech.jpl.nasa.gov/mtp/ • NASA • http://nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/index.html • GOOGLE SCHOLAR • http://scholar.google.ca • SCIRUS • www.scirus.com • http://athena.cornell.edu/kids/bn_special_report.html • http://marsrover.nasa.gov/mission/communications.html • http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/06/02/space.psych/index.html • WEB GATHERING SESSION • www.ascg.mcmaster.ca