Thomas Zurbuchen, vice president of NASA's Science Mission Council, has approved the start of refueling the Mars 2020 rover's multipurpose radioisotope thermoelectric generator , also known as MMRTG , which will not only provide energy to rovers but also stay warm as they explore Mars.
Illustration: Rover number
"The Mars 2020 Rover program is progressing as scheduled." Thomas Zubchen said, "The decision to refuel the MMRTG is an important milestone in following our July 2020 launch schedule. ”
MMRTGs are essentially nuclear batteries that can provide about 110 watts of power to spacecraft and scientific equipment when exploration missions are turned on, and the waste heat generated by the generators can also keep the spacecraft system warm in a cold environment. According to statistics, the United States has used radioactive isotope energy in the past 27 space missions - from the Viking program on Mars to Voyager's entry into interplanetary space, and now, Curiosity on Mars and New Horizons on Pluto.
Illustration: MMRTG structure diagram
MMRTG works by converting heat into electricity through the natural decay of radioactive isotopic materials. The generator consists of two main elements: a heat source containing the radioactive element plutonium-238 (Pu-238) and a thermocouple that converts the thermal energy of plutonium decay into electrical energy. The process made by the Department of Energy (DOE) to load the heat source into the MMRTG is set for the mission launch date. The Mars 2020 refueling process has already begun, thanks to the continued development and advancement of spacecraft that will get there, including Rover.
"We're advancing on all fronts — including the completion of the cruise phase that guided us to Mars and the landing system of airborne takeoffs and landings that allowed us to land gently on the surface." John McNamee, a program manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said the lab manages missions in Pasadena, California. "Not only does a rover look more and more like a rover, it also acts more like a rover"
Illustration: Rover assembly
In addition to the integration of adaptive cache parts, it includes 7 motors and 3000 parts. The interior work of the Mars 2020 Rover is almost 100% complete. In terms of appearance, the most obvious part is the addition of a high-gain antenna with a long-range remote sensing mast, a motorized suspension system, a main robotic arm and a detector. External components such as the Mastcam-Z camera and the super camera have been installed high above the remote sensing mast, and turret accessories such as PIXL (with Raman spectroscopy and organic chemiluminescence) and SHERRLOC (planetary instrument for X-ray lithologic chemistry) instruments have been mounted to the end of the robotic arm.
"Our 2020 Mars rover is on a historic mission — the first step around Mars," thomas Zubchen said, "whether it's watching the rover's final assembly online, sending your name to Mars or keeping an eye on NASA's mission updates, we want everyone to come along on this meaningful journey." ”
Illustration: NASA's campaign to call for names
The Mars 2020 Mars rover will be launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida in July 2020 and land at Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021. This will be the first spacecraft in the history of planetary exploration to be able to accurately redirect its landing site during landing, and this technology is likely to prove important for future lunar landings and manned missions to Mars.
Illustration: Rover on the surface of Mars
NASA will use the 2020 Mars mission and other lunar missions to prepare for exploration of Mars, and the agency expects to establish a sustained human presence on and around the moon through the Artemis Lunar Exploration Program in 2028.
<h1 class="ql-long-19642827" > references</h1>
1. WJ Encyclopedia
2. Astronomical terms
3. Spaceanswers - Duck Duck
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