Related papers: Conceptual Design of Mars Sample Return Mission Us…
Multiple importance sampling (MIS) is an indispensable tool in rendering that constructs robust sampling strategies by combining the respective strengths of individual distributions. Its efficiency can be greatly improved by carefully…
Automatic terrain recognition in Mars rover images is an important problem not just for navigation, but for scientists interested in studying rock types, and by extension, conditions of the ancient Martian paleoclimate and habitability.…
In recent years, there has been a significant surge of interest in Mars exploration, driven by the planet's potential for human settlement and its proximity to Earth. In this paper, we explore the performance of the LoRaWAN technology on…
We review the abundance and diversity of terrestrial rock hosted life, the environments it inhabits, the evolution of its metabolisms, and its fossil biomarkers to provide guidance in the search for the biomarkers of rock hosted life on…
NASA mandate is a human mission to Mars in the 2030s and sustained exploration of Mars requires in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). Exploiting the Martian water cycle (alongside perchlorate salts that depress the freezing point of water to…
Ice deposits on Earth provide an extended record of volcanism, planetary climate, and life. On Mars, such a record may extend as far back as tens to hundreds of millions of years (My), compared to only a few My on Earth. Here, we propose…
During the Mars ascent vehicle (MAV) launch missions, when encountering a thrust drop type of propulsion system fault problem, the general trajectory replanning methods relying on step-by-step judgments may fail to make timely decisions,…
The success of a multi-kilometre drive by a solar-powered rover at the lunar south pole depends upon careful planning in space and time due to highly dynamic solar illumination conditions. An additional challenge is that the rover may be…
The Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) proposes to retrieve a near-Earth asteroid and position it in a lunar distant retrograde orbit (DRO) for later study, crewed exploration, and ultimately resource exploitation. During the Caltech Space…
In the paper, we introduced a novel variant of Electric VRP/TSP, the Solar Powered Rover Routing Problem (SPRRP), to tackle the routing of energy-constrained autonomous electric vehicles for Martian missions. We proposed a basic formulation…
Mars exploration requires precise and reliable terrain models to ensure safe rover navigation across its unpredictable and often hazardous landscapes. Stereoscopic vision serves a critical role in the rover's perception, allowing scene…
As a major space based energy infrastructure in response to the challenge of climate change, space solar power SSP has attracted extensive international attention for more than 55 years. Recently, various SSP concepts have been proposed,…
Among the various required resources for this civilization, the habitat is one of the crucial resources to live on Mars. Such an extraterrestrial habitat is designed to provide a safe place to live during the initial missions. It is…
The recent, rapid advancement in space exploration is thanks to the accelerated miniaturization of electronics components on a spacecraft that is reducing the mass, volume and cost of satellites. Yet, access to space remains a distant dream…
The exploration of the lunar poles and the collection of samples from the martian surface are characterized by shorter time windows demanding increased autonomy and speeds. Autonomous mobile robots must intrinsically cope with a wider range…
Space exploration technology continues to expand humanity's reach beyond Earth, and even more ambitious efforts are striving to establish long-duration human settlements on Mars. The dependence of martian settlers on life-support…
Remote sensing can provide crucial information for planetary rovers. However, they must validate these orbital observations with in situ measurements. Typically, this involves validating hyperspectral data using a spectrometer on-board the…
Any rotorcraft on Mars will fly in a low pressure and dusty environment. It is well known that helicopters on Earth become highly-charged due, in part, to triboelectric effects when flying in sandy conditions. We consider the possibility…
Pits on the Moon and Mars are intriguing geological formations that have yet to be explored. These geological formations can provide protection from harsh diurnal temperature variations, ionizing radiation, and meteorite impacts. Some have…
The surface of Mars is bombarded by energetic charged particles of solar and cosmic origin with little shielding compared to Earth. As space agencies are planning for crewed missions to the red planet, a major concern is the impact of…