Connect with us

Space

Mars exploration in focus as Europe prepares ExoMars Rover for search of life

ESA's ExoMars rover will roam the rusty Martian surface in search for signs of life. Credit: ESA

Published

on

2020 may be the year humanity takes its biggest step toward finding evidence of life beyond Earth. NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are each working on its own rover that will roam Mars’s surface in search of life.

The ExoMars mission is Europe’s first Mars rover. Named after British DNA pioneer Rosalind Franklin, the golf cart-sized robot is approximately one-third the size of NASA’s planned Mars 2020 rover and will look for signs that life might have existed on Mars.

Both rovers will act as remote scientists, beaming back a wealth of data and images to Earth.

Mars 2020 will collect Martian samples for eventual return to Earth sometime in the future, while ExoMars will use its unique drill to burrow below the surface. Here, the rover will find pristine samples that were shielded from the harsh radiation bombarding Mars’s surface. Scientists are hopeful that below the surface is where we could find our first evidence of life. 

A Rover’s Purpose

Mars is a hostile place. Because its atmosphere is much thinner than Earth’s, life as we know it would have a difficult time surviving on the surface.

Advertisement

Billions of years ago, the surface of Mars was probably quite similar to that of Earth. However, that changed when Mars lost its magnetic field, which stripped its atmosphere, and exposed its surface to intense radiation. All of which made survival above ground incredibly challenging.

Historically, Mars missions have searched for signs of life on the planet’s surface, usually at places where there are signs of ancient water. That’s because this is typically where we find life on Earth.

But since we haven’t found life on the planet’s surface yet, mission scientists propose we need to dig deeper. There may be some microbial Martians underground.

The ExoMars rover (and accompanying lander) are a follow-on to ESA’s ExoMars Orbiter mission which reached Mars in 2016. That initial mission consisted of two parts: the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and the Schiaparelli landing demonstrator. 

Landing on Mars

TGO made it to Mars and is doing great, however, Schiaparelli didn’t fare so well — the lander crashed during its descent to the Martian surface. 

Advertisement

Landing a probe on Mars is not easy. To safely navigate the tenuous Martian atmosphere requires a combination of sophisticated landing gear, including heat shields, retrorockets, and even giant, inflatable airbags. 

Despite the crash landing, Schiaparelli achieved its goal as a technology demonstrator. It also showed that the team needed to revamp the landing system before the rover launches. But, with less than a year till liftoff, the rover team is struggling with an established piece of landing architecture: parachutes

In order to slow the rover down, the mission requires multiple parachutes — one 15 meters (49 feet) in diameter and one 35 meters (115 feet).  

As the rover begins its descent, atmospheric drag will slow the craft from around 21 000 km/h (13,048 mph) to 1700 km/h (1,056 mph). That’s when the first parachute will deploy. About 20 seconds later, at about 400 km/h (248 mph), the second chute will deploy. Lastly, the braking engines will kick in about 1 km (or half a mile) above the ground, enabling the rover land safely on the Martian surface.

The entire sequence takes just six minutes.

Advertisement

Parachute Troubles

During high-altitude testing conducted earlier this year, the craft’s parachutes ripped as soon as they deployed. ESA engineers made several adjustments, including reinforcing both the parachutes and their storage bags with Teflon to make them deploy easier. The chutes are still tearing.  

Now the agency is turning to NASA for help. ESA engineers are teaming up with the folks at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, to put the enhanced parachutes through months of rigorous testing. 

In the meantime, the rover team is putting its hardware through a round of thermal testing. For 18 days it will be subjected to the same harsh temperature conditions experienced on Mars. 

The parachutes are expected to finish testing sometime in April 2020; they will then be integrated with the rover and shipped to the launch site in Kazakhstan. However, if any part of the mission misses its deadline, the entire project could be sidelined until the next favorable Mars launch window — in 2022.

Advertisement

Check out Teslarati’s Marketplace! We offer Tesla accessories, including for the Tesla Cybertruck and Tesla Model 3.

News

Starlink Direct to Cell to boost remote businesses in Chile

Entel teams up with Starlink Direct to Cell to power SMEs & industries in Chile’s remote regions. Remote businesses get a major tech upgrade.

Published

on

(Credit: SpaceX)

Entel will provide Starlink Direct to Cell services to businesses in Chile and Peru, boosting connectivity in underserved regions.

Entel is Chile’s leading telecommunications provider. Its strategic collaboration leverages Starlink’s Direct to Cell service by offering advanced internet solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large corporations.

The partnership targets industries like mining, agriculture, and forestry, which often face connectivity challenges in remote areas. By tapping into Starlink’s low-latency satellite constellation, Entel aims to bridge these gaps, driving innovation and competitiveness.

The collaboration with Entel follows Starlink’s April expansion in Brazil, where its internet was integrated into John Deere’s agricultural equipment. Through its mobile app, Starlink provided Brazilian farmers with live video feeds, sensor data, and real-time sharing.

Advertisement

Entel’s Starlink Direct to Cell service includes value-added features such as 24/7 network monitoring, proactive management, and dedicated technical support. An observability feature will allow businesses to track real-time connectivity performance through web or mobile applications, enhancing operational efficiency.

The service’s accessibility to SMEs is a key focus. Starlink Direct to Cell is expected to empower small businesses to engage in e-commerce, improve customer communication, and expand digital operations.

Starlink’s Direct to Cell expansion into Peru underscores Entel’s regional ambitions, positioning it as a leader in Latin America’s business connectivity landscape. While details of the Peruvian rollout remain forthcoming, the move aligns with the region’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery. Reliable internet is critical for businesses to adopt cloud-based technologies and access global markets.

Starlink’s growing influence in Latin America highlights its role in transforming connectivity for underserved areas. Entel’s partnership strengthens its portfolio and helps businesses navigate a digital economy. As industries in Chile and Peru leverage Starlink’s capabilities, the collaboration could set a precedent for regional telecom providers, fostering innovation and economic growth across diverse sectors.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

SpaceX’s Starlink Router Mini targets home Wi-Fi dead zones for $40

The Starlink Router Mini tackles home Wi-Fi dead zones for just $40. Compact & mesh-compatible, it’s built for basic setups.

Published

on

starlink-router-mini-$40-home-wi-fi-dead-zones

SpaceX’s Starlink Router Mini recently launched to enhance home Wi-Fi connectivity by addressing dead zones at home, offering a budget-friendly option for customers. The Starlink Router Mini is a $40 mesh-compatible device.

The Router Mini targets users seeking affordable solutions to extend coverage in smaller spaces. SpaceX describes the new Starlink router as a lower-performance device suited for “basic Wi-Fi needs” in compact setups.

“It works well in most basic residential setups and is a good option for extending coverage. However, in homes where rooms have multiple barriers between them (mirrors, multiple walls, brick or stone walls), you may notice a drop in performance unless you use wired connections,” the company noted.

In contrast, the Gen 3 router, now priced at $120 after dropping from $199, delivers stronger performance for larger homes with multiple devices. The Router Mini complements the Gen 3 router, which comes bundled with the standard Starlink dish and supports mesh networking.

Advertisement

“If you need simple, reliable Wi-Fi and want to keep costs down, the Router Mini is a solid option. But if you’re looking for stronger, more consistent performance across a larger or busier home, the Gen 3 Router is the way to go,” SpaceX explained.

Both routers support Wi-Fi 6 speeds and can operate in wired or wireless mesh modes, though the dual-band Starlink Router Mini has fewer antennas (“2×2 2.4 GHz, 2×3 5 GHz MU-MIMO”) compared to the tri-band Gen 3’s four-plus antenna setup.

The Router Mini’s debut follows its appearance in an FCC filing and a Starlink app update referencing a “mini mesh” device. It also connects to the Starlink Mini dish, boosting its limited Wi-Fi range. The device’s affordability and mesh compatibility make it an attractive option for customers looking to optimize their Starlink setup without investing in additional Gen 3 routers.

As Starlink continues to expand its global broadband network, the Router Mini addresses growing demand for flexible, cost-effective home connectivity solutions. By offering a cheaper mesh device, SpaceX strengthens its ecosystem, catering to diverse user needs while maintaining its lead in satellite internet innovation.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Continue Reading

News

SpaceX secures FAA approval for 25 annual Starship launches

SpaceX scored FAA approval for up to 25 Starship launches annually. The agency found no major environmental impact, but critics remain skeptical.

Published

on

(Credit: SpaceX)

SpaceX secured Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to launch and land Starship rockets and Super Heavy boosters from its Starbase spaceport in Boca Chica, Texas, up to 25 times a year. The FAA’s decision was announced on Tuesday, marking a pivotal step for SpaceX’s ambitious space exploration goals.

The FAA’s SpaceX approval is part of its ongoing license review. The agency noted that “there are other licensing requirements still to be completed,” including evaluations of policy, payload, safety, financial responsibility, and environmental impacts.“Once the evaluation process is complete, the FAA will make a determination to approve or deny the license application,” the agency added.

The FAA’s final environmental assessment concluded that SpaceX’s expanded launch plans would have “no significant impact” on the surrounding environment, defying a history of legal disputes with environmental groups.

The ruling follows a significant weekend for Starbase, where residents—mostly SpaceX employees—voted to incorporate the area as a city. Starbasee City includes a mayor and two commissioners from the aerospace company’s ranks. The FAA’s decision amplifies SpaceX’s momentum but has sparked concerns among environmentalists.

Christopher Basaldu of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network called the environmental assessment premature.

Advertisement

“You’re bragging about the big slot rocket in history, and then you’re also trying to claim that it makes no environmental impact; that’s impossible. So they’re lying. So what the FAA needs to do is they need to go all the way back to square one,” Basaldu said.

Basaldu highlighted potential harm to marine life, pollution risks to the nearby Rio Grande, and disruptions from noise and night operations coming from SpaceX launches.

“A lot of noise pollution. That’s not a lot of night pollution, because they try to continue working through the night, while SpaceX is going to shut down the road for half of the year.”

As SpaceX pushes to scale Starship operations, the FAA’s approval underscores Starbase’s growing role in space exploration. However, ongoing environmental reviews and local concerns signal challenges ahead, balancing innovation with ecological and community impacts.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending