| Over the past few years, the interest in exploring Mars has grown, with several missions in the planning stages for the next decade. One motivating theme is the potential of discovering substantial subsurface aqueous reservoirs. This discussion outlines the development of a lightweight, low-power surface-penetrating radar system intended for the subsurface exploration of Mars. The objective addressed is to probe the Martian subsurface up to a depth of a several hundreds of meters with a resolution on the order of tens of meters. The primary use of the system would be on a lander-/rover-based mission in which a lateral traverse could be made; however, we are also considering an orbital system.; To accurately asses the performance of a ground-penetrating radar system on Mars, a first-order model of the subsurface composition and stratigraphy was developed. This model includes simulation parameters governing signal attenuation and scattering coefficients. From these parameters, further investigation and simulations help to offer a broader understanding of what properties can and cannot be detected by a specific radar system, help to redefine the project objectives to match what is physically possible, and set a performance baseline for the system.; In addition to the simulation results, a prototype system was constructed using connectorized components and evaluation boards. The prototype system serves as a test bed to investigate antenna subsystems, modulation schemes, and radar responses over segregated bodies of ice and water. Results from experiments conducted in Lawrence, Kansas, and Fairbanks, Alaska, will be presented. Based on these results, an optimal system for the exploration of Mars' subsurface is proposed. |
