Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd
Plymouth, United Kingdom
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The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) rover vehicle. (Image: DLR)

The two moons of Mars — Phobos and Deimos — are the target of the Japanese exploration mission Martian Moons eXploration (MMX). This is a mission of the Japanese space agency JAXA in collaboration with NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), French space agency Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), and German Aerospace Centre (DLR).

CNES and the DLR are jointly contributing a 25-kilogram rover. The German-French MMX rover is being designed and built under the joint leadership of the two partners.

Approximately one year after leaving Earth, the spacecraft will arrive in Martian space and enter into an orbit around Mars. It will then move into a quasi-satellite orbit (QSO) around the Martian moon, Phobos, to collect scientific data, drop the rover, and gather a sample of the moon’s surface. After observation and sample collection, the spacecraft will return to Earth carrying the material gathered from Phobos.

Silicon Sensing CRM200 (Pinpoint®) that will be used in the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission. (Image: Silicon Sensing Systems)

Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd has been contracted by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) to supply two miniature Pinpoint® (CRM200) gyros for use in the MMX mission, which will travel to Mars and survey the two moons orbiting Mars. These gyros will equip the rover vehicle that will explore the larger of these moons, Phobos, collecting vital surface samples.

The set of Pinpoint® gyros is planned to be used to detect unintended movement of the rover on the unknown surface. Depending on the initial checkout of the drivetrain that includes the gyros, an optional safety module will be activated in the software to automatically prevent instability during drive sessions of the rover.

As part of the rigorous selection process for this program, Pinpoint successfully completed TID testing at 17kRad Radiation and Proton tests (up to 68 MeV/proton), which clearly demonstrate the gyro’s suitability for space requirements.

Just the size of your smallest fingernail, at approximately 5 mm x 6 mm, PinPoint® is the smallest gyro in Silicon Sensing’s MEMS product range. This is a proven, low-drift, single-axis angular rate sensor with many applications across diverse market sectors. In combination, these robust sensors can precisely measure angular rate across multiple axes — i.e. any combination of pitch, yaw, and roll — whilst consuming very little power.

The MMX rover chassis. The red box indicates the ‘E-box’ where locomotion electronics, including the two CRM200s (Pinpoint) are installed. (Image: Silicon Sensing Systems)

“Pinpoint has a proven track record in space applications, but this will be a landmark use on a remarkable mission where this gyro’s reliability and endurance will be critical,” said David Sommerville, General Manager, Silicon Sensing Systems.

“We are also seeing increasing space sector application for our latest tactical grade IMU — the DMU41 — which has recently been selected for a number of low-Earth orbit programs. This growing interest in our MEMS-based inertial sensors and systems reflects the potential of this technology, with its rugged reliability, compact size, and low power consumption, for the sector,” said Somerville.

At the end of the exploration, several grams of rock and regolith will be returned to Earth with the Return Module for further scientific analysis. The expected findings of this mission should help better understand the formation of the Martian moons and the planets in the Solar System. The current schedule for the mission has a launch date in 2026 followed by a Martian orbit insertion in 2027 and return to earth in 2031.

This article was contributed by Silicon Sensing Systems (Plymouth, United Kingdom). For more information, visit here  .