Rover



The Rover is a semi-autonomous, solar-electric powered exploration and construction vehicle used to explore the surface of Mars in search of the most suitable location for the settlement, for transport of large hardware components (in a tractor-like fashion), and then general assembly.

The First rover is expected to land in 2018, 2 years after the supply mission. With a second rover to be sent in 2020

Duties
It will focus on specific tasks, including :
 * Autonomous travel to locate the most suitable area for settlement.
 * A general area for the outpost will have been decided before the 2016 supply mission lands. The rover will land close to the supply mission lander and will start looking for the best exact spot for the settlement. Taking measurements of the regolith water content.
 * ​Prepare Location for settlement
 * The rover uses the excavator and the robotic arm to prepare the base location for future missions. It cleans large areas for the (future) solar panels.
 * Move the Landers to the preferred locations.
 * When the rover has determined a suitable location for the human base, it drives to the supply mission lander and drives the lander back to the base location. Landers will probably be transported on a trailer-like rover. The exact design will be determined in further studies.
 * Prepare the Settlement
 * Remove protective panels from the Landers.
 * Unroll and lay down the solar photovoltaic panels.
 * Extract (from the Lander) and assist with inflation of the Living Unit.
 * Connect the air tube between the Life Support Unit and the Living Unit.
 * Deposit soil in the Support Unit for water extraction and return the dry soil.

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References