RF Propagation Model for Wireless Sensor Network of MARs

Abstract

NASA exploration mission on Mars includes the use of rovers and sensors communicating via wireless sensor networks. The network components have a limited range of transmission, low power consumption, low price and a small lifespan. A wireless network's performance is mainly dependent on the RF environment. A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) on the Mars ground is planned to deploy wireless sensors capable of operating under harsh environmental conditions to detect few properties of regolith on the Martian surface. The main interest property is dielectric permittivity and permeability. Since communicating on the Mars is a difficult and challenging task, the behavior of communications surfaces can be predicted by a channel model. So, efforts have been put to Develop a channel propagation Model to know the behavior of communication channel on the atmosphere of Mars. In order to study the model for radio propagation on Mars, two sites were selected from Gale crater and Meridian Planum at different sites for the Mars with near-flat surfaces, a certain area with peaks and a region with few craters.