Date of Submission

Spring 4-27-2022

Project Type

Senior Design

Abstract

In recent years, the development of space exploration and technologies has been brought to attention with a focus on the planet Mars. With this, many companies have set out to develop space vehicles for space and surface excursions of Mars and Mars’s moons, Phobos and Deimos. With Mars being a location for human civilization to inhabit, a look into the best solutions for travel to Mars has been developed. The solution of focus that has been developed and presented by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is to imply an incremental exploration approach. In this solution, a focus is brought to developing bases on Mars’s moons Phobos and Deimos. To first begin this process of building bases on the moons of Mars, frequent missions to the surfaces of both moons are required. With the goal of building bases on the surfaces of Phobos and Deimos, NASA has set out in search of space technologies to fulfill the task at hand. The technologies in need for NASA’s plans are a surface rover, as well as a transporter for the rover. Presented in this document are developments for the space rover and transporter for the rover. With an already existing model for the surface rover designed by NASA, the surface rover presented in this paper will take similar aspects from this rover as well as presenting innovative technologies the rover shall acquire. As for the transporter, innovative ideas and technologies are presented to solve various issues when embarking on such travels to the surfaces of both moons. A few concerns focused on this paper when considering the surface rover are traction from the rover, living space, payload capabilities, and maneuverability of the rover while on the surface. A few concerns regarding the rover transporter are propulsion systems, docking systems, and safety of the rover while being joined in transportation. The value of the solutions presented in this document range from simple solutions for safety hazards, to solutions for the complete exploration by humans of Mars and the moons of Mars. When considering the expansion of human civilization, each step in progressing the technologies to make humans multiplanetary is of the utmost importance. Presented in this document are solutions focused on the excursions of both Phobos and Deimos but are not limited to the singular goals given by NASA.

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