Prop-M Rover

DESCRIPTION:

          Soviet Russia sent Prop-M Rover along with Mars 3 lander weighting 4.5 Kilograms. The rover was planned to move across the surface of Mars. Small metal rods in the side was used for autonomous obstacle avoidance, because it is difficult to control the rover from earth using radio signals. It take too long to travel from earth to mars as well as mars to earth.

DESIGN:

          The Prop-M Rover designed like a square box and the movement was provided by two skis. In front Obstacle detection bars were mounted. The square box had a protrusion at the center.

INSTRUMENTS CARRIED:

       1) Penetrometer

       2) Densitometer

OBJECTIVES:

          The rover was planned to move on the surface of mars with the help of Television Camera. And to detect some organic materials with help of penetrators.

ENTRY:

          Prop-M rover was released on 2nd December 1971. It entered the martian atmosphere at a speed of 5.7 Km/s and successfully landed.

CONTACT:

          After 14.5 seconds of landing on the Martian surface, no signals were received from the rover. Communications lost from rover. It may be caused by the powerful dust storms causing damage to the communication system. The mission resulted in Partial Failure.