Mentor/s
Professor Tolga Kaya
Participation Type
Poster
Abstract
In alignment with NASA’s Exploration Systems and Development Mission Directorate, this project aims to address exploration challenges related to energy consumption, mobility, and the speed of mission results for the NASA Mars rover. Current rovers face limitations due to inefficient power consumption, which constrains mission capabilities and operational duration. This research seeks to develop and implement advanced solar panel technology to optimize energy harnessing, enabling rovers to operate independently for extended periods and support long-duration missions.
The project’s initial phase focuses on solar panel research, with an emphasis on designing, building, and testing a small-scale solar-powered system to evaluate its efficiency and broader capabilities. This system will serve as the project’s minimum viable product (MVP), providing a foundation for further exploration into integrating advanced solar technology with rover power systems.
In the broader scope, the findings from this research will be applied to a small-scale rover prototype, assessing the compatibility of the solar-powered system with a power train. This iterative testing will culminate in the implementation of the system on a spherical rover design, aiming to enhance mobility, energy efficiency, and mission adaptability in extraterrestrial environments. By addressing these critical energy challenges, this project contributes to the advancement of exploration technologies and supports NASA’s mission objectives.
College and Major available
Electrical Engineering BS
Academic Level
Undergraduate student
Location
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
Start Day/Time
4-25-2025 12:00 PM
End Day/Time
4-25-2025 2:00 PM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Prize Categories
Best Multidisciplinary Research or Collaboration, Most Scholarly Impact or Potential, Best Technology Prototype
Project Luna
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
In alignment with NASA’s Exploration Systems and Development Mission Directorate, this project aims to address exploration challenges related to energy consumption, mobility, and the speed of mission results for the NASA Mars rover. Current rovers face limitations due to inefficient power consumption, which constrains mission capabilities and operational duration. This research seeks to develop and implement advanced solar panel technology to optimize energy harnessing, enabling rovers to operate independently for extended periods and support long-duration missions.
The project’s initial phase focuses on solar panel research, with an emphasis on designing, building, and testing a small-scale solar-powered system to evaluate its efficiency and broader capabilities. This system will serve as the project’s minimum viable product (MVP), providing a foundation for further exploration into integrating advanced solar technology with rover power systems.
In the broader scope, the findings from this research will be applied to a small-scale rover prototype, assessing the compatibility of the solar-powered system with a power train. This iterative testing will culminate in the implementation of the system on a spherical rover design, aiming to enhance mobility, energy efficiency, and mission adaptability in extraterrestrial environments. By addressing these critical energy challenges, this project contributes to the advancement of exploration technologies and supports NASA’s mission objectives.
Students' Information
Doria Lukasik-Drescher: Honors, class of 2026, Electrical Engineering