In a world first, US-based space agency NASA is planning to explore the surface of Venus with an unmanned rover. NASA said in a statement: ”With a surface temperature in excess of 840 degrees Fahrenheit (480 C) and a surface pressure 90 times that of Earth, Venus can turn lead into a puddle and crush a nuclear-powered submarine with ease.
“While many missions have visited our sister planet, only about a dozen have made contact with the surface of Venus before quickly succumbing to the oppressive heat and pressure.”
JPL is interested in all approaches, regardless of technical maturity
NASA
Yet despite the unimaginably fierce condition, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is readying a mission to the fiery planet’s surface using an Automaton Rover for Extreme Environments (AREE).
This is where you can help: NASA requires help designing a sensor that will allow the rover to avoid rocks, tricky terrain and cavernous crevices.
NASA’s ambitious challenge is called Exploring Hell: Avoiding Obstacles on a Clockwork Rover.
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NASA added in a statement on the challenge’s website: ”To assist AREE on its groundbreaking mission concept, JPL needs an equally groundbreaking obstacle avoidance sensor, one that does not rely on vulnerable electronic systems.
“For that reason, JPL is turning to the global community.”
The competition is actually open to all, even those who are not rocket scientists.
The space agency wrote: ”JPL is interested in all approaches, regardless of technical maturity.”
The first place winner of the design contest will receive up to $15,000 (£11,500).
The second place winner will receive up to $10,000 (£7,690), while the third place winner will get $5,000 (£3,850).
NASA said: “The difficulty of this challenge is in designing a sensor that does not rely on electronic systems.”
This is because Venus has “a planetary environment just this side of hellish.
“Current state-of-the-art electronics fail at just over 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 C) and would easily succumb to the extreme Venus environment.
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“That is why NASA is turning to the global community of innovators and inventors for a solution.”
However the rover sensor has to be more than just extremely hardy.
The proposed NASA rover must also be able to perform on slopes steeper than 30 degrees both uphill or downhill.
The all-terrain vehicle will also encounter rocks taller than 1.15ft (35cm).
And these are only some of the many requirements for the new sensor.
Why does NASA want to explore Venus?
Exploring and studying the surface of Venus could help humanity understand the planet’s evolution and could contribute to a better understanding of Earth’s climate
Jonathan Sauder, principal investigator for the Automaton Rover for Extreme Environments concept, believes Venus and Earth surprisingly share characteristics.
He said: “Earth and Venus are basically sibling planets, but Venus took a turn at one point and became inhospitable to life as we know it.”
Ryon Stewart, challenge coordinator for the NASA Tournament Lab, added: “This is an exciting opportunity for the public to design a component that could one day end up on another celestial body.
“NASA recognises good ideas can come from anywhere and that prize competitions are a great way to engage the public’s interest and ingenuity and make space exploration possible for everyone.”
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