Energy and Power Systems
We begin by defining a scenario, to which we can apply the laws of the physical world and determine our rover’s energy requirements.
Typically, space missions have a sol duration, and the rover needs to be able to last for that duration.
We begin by defining the minimum energy required, which is provided by sources such as batteries or solar panels. The backup energy source, in our case, is the battery, which can help the rover last for a specified number of sols or hours. Based on the average activity of the rover, we determine the energy cut-off for a day’s activity. This way, the rover can use some downtime to recharge and perform maintenance.
Given the rover’s mission to explore the terrain and collect samples, we start by defining a unit scenario and then scale it up to the entire mission duration. This involves calculating the energy requirements for a single sol and then multiplying it by the total number of sols in the mission.
Scenario:
Designing an Autonomous Rover for Planetary Exploration Objective: Design an autonomous rover capable of navigating and performing tasks on a planetary surface, such as Mars. The rover should be able to manage its energy efficiently to maximize its operational time and effectiveness.
For the sake of simplicity, the scenario is stripped down to a bare minimum version – Researchers on Earth have identified an exciting mineral at specific coordinates. Our task is to retrieve the material. To reach the location, the rover needs to travel over the terrain, climb and descend a hill, reach the destination, and perform sample collection.
Approach:
Understanding the energy associated with the motion.
Next, we will break the system down into subsystems and analyze the energy requirements for each subsystem.
Total Energy:
The total energy required for the rover to complete its mission is the sum of the energy needed by each subsystem:
\[E_{\text{total}} = E_{\text{mobility}} + E_{\text{arm}}\]Total Power:
Similarly, the total power requirement is determined by peak power demands of each subsystem. For example, achieving rapid acceleration on an incline requires delivering energy in a short time frame:
\[P = \frac{W}{t}\]Final Conclusion:
Based on these measurements, we plan the energy storage and power distribution system for the rover.