Thu, Oct 04, 2018
The Inertial Measurement Unit Will Enable The Rover's Navigation On Mars
Thales Alenia Space in the U.K. has achieved the major milestone of delivering its IMU Flight Models to Airbus Defence and Space in U.K. for integration with the ExoMars Rover. Exomars is a project under international cooperation between ESA and Roscosmos (Russian Space Agency), Thales Alenia Space, Joint Venture between Thales and Leonardo is the prime contractor for the global program.
The Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) designed by Thales Alenia Space in the U.K. has been delivered for integration in to the ExoMars Rover mission, scheduled to launch in July 2020 and arrive at Mars nine months later. The ExoMars Rover will be the first to drill 2 meters down the red planet’s surface, to look for traces of past or present life and retrieve samples. The IMU enables the Rover’s navigation during its mission, providing critical data on its orientation, speed and direction.
Designed, built and tested in Thales Alenia Space’s advanced facilities in Bristol, U.K., these next generation IMU’s utilise a new modular concept that provides 3 axis orientation, angular rate, velocity and acceleration measurement. The technology development incorporates very high performance Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMs) which have been qualified for spaceflight, the technology is also being advanced by Thales Alenia Space for use in satellite constellations and geostationary satellite communications.
"It is great to see innovative U.K. technology being delivered on time for ExoMars with U.K. industry working well together," said Sue Horne, Head of Space Exploration at the UK Space Agency. This realization will help position the U.K. for future work on navigation systems for other exploration and robotics missions.”
"Congratulations to the Thales Alenia Space U.K. team for achieving this important delivery for the rover," said Van Odedra, ExoMars Rover Project Manager for Airbus Defense and Space. "Please extend our thanks to all the team for their hard work and dedication to achieve this milestone.”
(Image provided with Thales Group news release)
More News
Aero Linx: Model Aeronautical Association of Australia MAAA clubs are about fun flying, camaraderie and community. For over 75 years, the MAAA has been Australia’s largest fl>[...]
Touchdown Zone Lighting Two rows of transverse light bars located symmetrically about the runway centerline normally at 100 foot intervals. The basic system extends 3,000 feet alon>[...]
“Discovery and innovation are central to our mission at Virgin Galactic. We’re excited to build on our successful record of facilitating scientific experiments in subor>[...]
How To Get A Story On Aero-TV News/Feature Programming How do I submit a story idea or lead to Aero-TV? If you would like to submit a story idea or lead, please contact Jim Campbel>[...]
Student Pilot Reported That During Rotation, “All Of A Sudden The Back Of The Plane Kicked To The Right..." Analysis: The student pilot reported that during rotation, “>[...]