Exploiting a weakness in the surface of Mars.
I was reading about how the rover Spirit became trapped in soft ferric sulfate on Mars.
https://www.space.com/11773-nasa-mars-rover-spirit-mission-ends.html
A rover that exploits the soft ferric sulfate by burrowing into soft ferric sulfate could allow the rover to venture below the surface of Mars. The design would be akin to an ant lion flicking sand on itself. As the rover excavates the ferric sulfate underneath of it and flicks the soil on top of itself, the weight of the soil will force the rover deeper into the hole that it is excavating. An umbilical will be needed to provided electrical power and communications to the burrower.
I would have to say that a V shaped burrower would be needed. The tip of the V would be the drill. The angled legs would have a clear coned shaped section where cameras could visually record the layers passed through.
A pole positioned on the top of the rover could have weights, similar to weightlifting weights, to help push the burrower deeper into the hole as the burrower digs instead of flicking the soft ferric sulfate back on itself as it burrows.
If soft ferric Sulfate is similar to quick sand here on Earth, then there is most likely a bottom to the hole where Spirit sank into.
How far down does the soft ferric sulfate rabbit hole actually go? What is at the bottom of the hole?
I was reading about how the rover Spirit became trapped in soft ferric sulfate on Mars.
https://www.space.com/11773-nasa-mars-rover-spirit-mission-ends.html
A rover that exploits the soft ferric sulfate by burrowing into soft ferric sulfate could allow the rover to venture below the surface of Mars. The design would be akin to an ant lion flicking sand on itself. As the rover excavates the ferric sulfate underneath of it and flicks the soil on top of itself, the weight of the soil will force the rover deeper into the hole that it is excavating. An umbilical will be needed to provided electrical power and communications to the burrower.
I would have to say that a V shaped burrower would be needed. The tip of the V would be the drill. The angled legs would have a clear coned shaped section where cameras could visually record the layers passed through.
A pole positioned on the top of the rover could have weights, similar to weightlifting weights, to help push the burrower deeper into the hole as the burrower digs instead of flicking the soft ferric sulfate back on itself as it burrows.
If soft ferric Sulfate is similar to quick sand here on Earth, then there is most likely a bottom to the hole where Spirit sank into.
How far down does the soft ferric sulfate rabbit hole actually go? What is at the bottom of the hole?
