UK engineers have been reported to have engineered and designed a working robot that can retrieve rock samples on planet Mars. The rocks are expected to be sent back to earth so that they can be used for the study. According to reports, the European Space Agency has already issued contracts and tenders to the industries that will be able to spec the technology that will be needed in the exercise. The entire complex project will be a joint activity between the United Kingdom and the US. The leading Aeroscope Company, AirBus is reported to be behind the concept. The American Space Agency which is abbreviated as NASA together with ESA said that they are supposed to return the sampling equipment to planet Mars in the year 2026.
The team leader of the AirBus corporate, Ben Boyes reported that the robot would be relatively small. It will weigh around 130 kgs. He, however, noted that the requirements were very demanding. The feasibility confirmed that the small vehicle would be covering very long distances. It will be using highly modernized autonomy. The device will be planning its route day after a day. The American space Agency and Esa had earlier signed a letter of intent that meant the two organizations had committed themselves to see the rocks are brought back to earth before the end of the next decade. Scientists are reported to be more interested in red planets’ soil and the Martian rocks.
The whole exercise is reported to be a daring adventure which will be conducted in stages. It’s a project that will take several years for it to be completed. NASA is scheduled to send the robot to Planet Mars in the year 2020. The rover will immediately start to search for material of interest. It will be able to drill and scoop the rocks onto the surface, caching them in canisters. The rocks will be dropped at specific depot points. The agency said that there might be more than 30 pen-sized tubes that will be awaited for pick up. In the year 2026, the recovery mission will officially be launched. The US will be expected to land a sought of a vehicle to planet Mars through a rocket. This will be inclusive of the European fetch rover. The collection of the canisters will immediately begin. The latter will inevitably be focused on bringing the canisters back to the rocket.
