A self-controlled navigation system, Seeker coming for Mars rovers

UK scientists are working out a self-controlled navigation system, called Seeker, to navigate next Mars rovers robotically around the Red Planet. The project under the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) StarTiger initiative concentrates to foster a technology to help Mars rovers move without direct human controlling from Mission Control on the Earth.

Seeker, a self-controlled navigation system for Mars rovers

The conventional system of sending radio signals to control a Mars rover gets a delayed result. It will take at least half an hour to reach signals to the rover, which can only act in response to the signals from the earth. With the new system, Mars rovers will be able to move and finish exploration activities of their own. No direct and frequent human controlling is needed for the process. Rovers can travel at least one kilometer per hour.

Furthermore, using the system, scientists can spot precise location of a rover on Mars, detect and avoid hazards on its surface and identify particular sites to visit on the planet. Amazingly, the entire process can be done without the aide of Mission Control or GPS-like technology. Rovers with Seekers can also move their way back to previously visited locations for further exploration.

The StarTiger project will take seven more months to complete. Experts from Britain, Canada and France are working with the project. The team of experts demoed early developments of the system at the 7th Appleton Space conference of the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) in Swindon. For full functioning, the system needs to be developed further. Many more leading space experts are providing inputs into the development of the Seeker project.

According to the director of the project, Kim Ward of RAL Space, Seeker project is propelled by “imagination, application and team work.” Radio signals take at least half an hour to travel from the Earth to the Mars and so "Seeker’s ability to work autonomously in hostile terrain will be crucial to extending our understanding of our planetary neighbor,” he adds.

Many more experts and British firms are also associated with the dreamy project. Experts from agencies such as STFC’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Space, leading defense and security firm BAe Systems, IT developer SciSys and engineering firm Roke Manor Research are with the Seeker space exploration project. LAAS, a French information science and technology research and MDA Space & Robotics, a Canadian firm also form part of the project.

Once realized, Seeker will revolutionize space exploration. Rovers can move their own to collect data from the surface of Mars. Job of scientists will be reduced and they will get more consistent information from the Mars for analysis. High-end sensors and cameras on the rovers will bring fresh images and other important data from the Mars.

Via: DailyMail