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For over 50 years, scientists on Earth have been studying the fourth planet from the sun, Mars. In 1964 NASA completed its first successful mission to Mars, a flyby with the Mariner 4. Since then, there have been 56 missions to Mars, not all of which have been successful. Scientists are so keen on studying the Red Planet because of how it closely resembles Earth. A single day on Mars is just over 24 hours, it has similar seasonal changes, and its axis has nearly the same rotational tilt as Earth. But most importantly, studies have shown that Mars most likely had water on its surface at some point, a sign that life at one time could have been supported on the now desolate planet.

In 2015, Dr. Christopher Hamilton, Associate Professor at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, received his first grant from NASA. The $100,000 award went towards Dr. Hamilton’s study of how volcanoes, lava flow, and water influence planetary evolution. His research brought him to an area of Iceland with terrain similar to Mars. The 2014-2015 eruption of a volcano in Holuhraun left behind a vast lava field that created steam vents and river runoff. The interaction of the lava and water led to the development of some extreme life forms in an area void of almost all vegetation. Using drones with thermal imaging, LiDAR, and more Dr. Hamilton and a diverse team of scientists spent 2 months collecting data on the lava field. This data was then used to create hypothetical models of volcanic sites on Mars.

On July 30, 2020, NASA launched their Mars 2020 mission. Part of this mission includes the launching of the exploratory rover Perseverance. Accompanying the Perseverance will be the Ingenuity, a helicopter drone, the first of its kind to land on Mars. When the duo lands on the Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021, the Perseverance will be tasked with collecting rock and sand samples and searching for evidence of ancient life. Meanwhile, the Ingenuity will be used as a technology demonstration to see how aerial drones can perform on Mars.

Back on Earth, NASA has awarded Dr. Hamilton another grant that will take whatever flight success the Ingenuity achieves and meld it into a research device. With $3.1 million in research funds from NASA, Dr. Hamilton and his team are returning to Iceland to test a system they are developing called RAVEN (Rover-Aerial Vehicle Exploration Networks). The goal of RAVEN will be to serve as a research assistant to a ground rover on Mars, collecting photographic and physical data from regions that a ground rover can’t access. As of yet, volcanic terrain on Mars has been too rugged for the rovers to explore. But with the trials that Dr. Hamilton has already conducted and those he plans to conduct, he will be building a drone system that can reach these areas to look for life forms.

RAVEN will be built with ultra light, yet very strong carbon fiber to compete with a Martian atmosphere that is 100 times less than that on Earth. The goal is to build a drone with 6 propellers that can support a bodyweight of only 22lbs, with the capacity of an additional 13lbs payload. RAVEN will have a 35 minute flight time within a 3 mile range. “Testing RAVEN in Iceland,” Dr. Hamilton says, “will help us to determine what instruments are the most essential for exploring volcanic terrains.” These tests will help Dr. Hamilton’s team develop or eliminate instruments that will be applicable on Mars.

One such instrument that Dr. Hamilton’s team is particularly focused on developing is a claw for the drone. The RAVEN Claw will need to be able to reconfigure to access different materials such as rock or sand samples. The claw will need to switch out tools to either scoop, grasp, or even drill without having a human operator on the ground. The drone’s additional payloads will need to include LiDAR and hyper-spatial imaging technology. While Dr. Hamilton will not be able to manipulate the effects of gravity on RAVEN, testing the design in Iceland will provide other necessary elements.

Dr. Hamilton will be able to make adjustments in the weight of RAVEN concerning how the device operates through rugged volcanic terrain. “Volcanic terrains offer exciting targets for exploration because of their potential to generate habitable hydrothermal systems, which could support or preserve microbial life,” Dr. Hamilton said. “RAVEN would make such locations accessible for the first time.” Missions like those done on Mars will help scientists on Earth understand geological and climate changes in a way that can prepare us for a sustainable future on Earth.

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