A spacecraft may one day be the medium for exploring satellites, asteroids and other celestial bodies. MIT researchers have designed a “flying saucer” for this purpose. The floating rover will be powered by an electric field created by its direct exposure to sunlight and the plasma that surrounds it. In the absence of atmosphere, the electric charge created on surfaces such as the Moon can scatter dust up to one meter above the surface, as static electricity causes our hair to stand upright. The rover will be made of Mylar material which can naturally hold the same load as body surfaces without atmosphere, repelling each other and effectively neutralizing gravity.
“With a hover rover you do not have to worry about wheels or moving parts. “The surface of an asteroid may be completely irregular, but if you have a control mechanism that keeps the rover hovering, you can explore the most difficult parts of Paulo Lozano,” said MIT aerospace engineer.
Ion motors have been used in the past to propel satellites into space. The fuel is salt, which when struck by an electric charge produces a beam which pushes the boat in the opposite direction. In the case of the flying saucer, the load is transferred to the surface below the rover to compensate for its own physical load. Mathematical models show that the idea is feasible and that the generated impulse would be enough to hover the rover. In a laboratory experiment they managed to create an electrostatic force that suspended a 60 gram object.
“This kind of ionic design uses minimal energy to produce high voltage. The energy required is so small that you can do it almost for free. “
At present the study proves that swinging is possible, but more experiments are needed to increase the swing height.
“We are thinking of using this in missions such as the Japanese space agency Hayabusa. This spacecraft was found near a small asteroid and sent smaller rovers to its surface. “Similarly, we are thinking of a future mission where we will send floating rovers to explore the surface of the Moon and other asteroids.”
The study was published in the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets.
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