The Mars Helicopter Telecommunication Link: Antennas, Propagation, and Link Analysis

Abstract

This article presents the progress in the development of the telecommunication subsystem for the Mars Helicopter. The antenna performance on the rover and the helicopter are assessed. An in-depth analysis of the link between the Mars Helicopter and the Mars 2020 (M2020) rover is presented in detail, including the impact of polarization loss, multipath, and antenna performance. The antenna designs and analyses are described as they play a critical role in the link assessment. The analysis is verified through a field test which included a proxy rover and helicopter with engineering model antennas.