Mars Pathfinder Research Paper

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On September 27 1997, the Mars Pathfinder sent its final transmission, bringing an incredible mission to its close [1]. The Pathfinder mission had two large pieces of equipment associated with it. The lander, named after space aficionado Carl Sagan, helped the rover, Sojourner, make a safe landing on the surface of Mars and transmit the information that Sojourner collected [9]. Many technical advancements and high-technology went into both the lander and the rover to make sure that they would be able to collect data from the surface of Mars and so that they could function with limited human communication. This paper will discuss the technology that went into the rover and some of the data that the rover recovered while on the Red Planet. …show more content…
Having made parachutes and floats for NASA before, this company was well suited to produce the airbags necessary to endure the heat of reentry, the freezing temperatures of space, and the impact of the landing. These fabrics are a composite designed to be resistant to ripping and extreme temperatures and environments. These airbags need to weigh very little but be sturdy enough to survive the 100 foot drop to the surface with the potential of landing on sharp rocks. The outer layers protected inner layers that were filled with gas to provide some “give” and allow the lander to bounce without risk of popping. According to the Warwick Mills’ website, these airbags weighed only about a pound and their light weight allowed the rover to be included with the lander without having to worry as much about weight constraints. This material was made of urethane-coated Vectran and was tested and designed to ensure success. Urethane is much lighter and more resistant to breaks and tears than traditionally used PVC. These fabrics were so incredibly successful, that they were used in the landing process of Spirit and Opportunity as well …show more content…
With a suspension system to handle large bumps or rocks in the way, Sojourner could traverse the rocky landscape of Mars with limited difficulty. Each wheel was a little less than half a foot in diameter and was fitted with a steel traction system. A laser was able to scan ahead for rocks and dips to help the rover navigate and the rover had two black and white and one color camera. Magnets of different strength were placed across the lander to see of Martian dust had magnetic properties. These magnets found that dust on Mars is magnetic and may be composed of maghemite left on the dust by water. Analyzing light through a series of filters allowed Sojourner to take measurements of dust and potential water vapor in the air.
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