[X] My Assistant

[chris]

Given the problems that Opportunity is having now, what changes should be made to future rovers to mitigate such problems? Sand isn't exactly rare on Mars, and I very much doubt we've seen the biggest dunes.

Some suggestions:

- Directly detect speed so you know when you're not travelling as fast as the wheels are rotating (using something like an optical mouse sensor, as suggested here by Gary).

- Change of wheel design.

- Some deployable mechanism to help back out of a bad spot (extending spikes in the wheels might do it, but it would be complicated). I am also reminded of the railway sleepers that WW1 tanks used, although I'm obviously not suggesting we send a railway sleeper

- Sensors on the wheel or wheel hubs so you can sense you are digging in. Given the amount of iron around, could this be done magnetically?

- Some mechanism for sensing sand traps. Sound springs to mind, but I guess the atmosphere is too thin.

Chris

Edit: Added link to mouse sensor post