Design of a Wind Powered Mars Rover

Abstract

There has been considerable interest in the unmanned exploration of Mars for quite some time [4][7][8] but the current generation of rovers can explore only a small portion of the total planetary surface. One approach to addressing this deficiency is to consider a rover that has greater range and that is cheaper so that it can be deployed in greater numbers. The option explored in this paper uses the wind to propel a rover platform, trading off precise navigation for greater range. The capabilities of such a rover lie between the global perspective of orbiting satellites and the detailed local analysis of current-generation rovers. The design of the Wind-Powered Mars Rover is discussed, and the prototype built at McGill University as part of a student design course is described.