Mars Astronaut & Rover Tool for In-Situ Autonomous  Navigation (MARTIAN)
Electronic Sextant/Navigation Tool

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MARTIAN Project Hosting

• Source Code (coming soon)
• Documentation (coming soon)

Space

Credit: NASA MMORPG game: Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond©

Project Overview:

An astronaut life should never solely depend on batteries. Using historical navigation principles, this multi-functional firmware device will be utilized for surface navigation and also serve as a display unit, communication terminal, science collection camera, and drone remote control.

Powered by both solar energy and rechargeable lithium-ion polymer batteries or betavoltaic batteries, this multi-functional and reconfigurable device will attach/connect to an astronaut's forearm or a rover's CPU.

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Moon & Back Video - Looking To The Stars For Navigation

In his interview at NewSpace 2011, Southern Methodist engineering student Drake Frank talks about the catalyst for his love of space and describes the products of his employer Solar System Express including a ‘GPS’ for Space. Description @ 2:00

Project Goals:

► Incorporate Software-defined radio (SDR)
     ♦ To decrease the mass and increase the reconfigurability of this device, thus allowing device to also serve  
         as a voice and data communication terminal and display unit for text based messages.

► Utilize jORB library to create an inertial navigation unit (INU)
     ♦ To allow global navigation of planetary bodies, which lack GPS satellites and global magnetic fields. 
     ♦ With this devices INU the direction to home base / HAB will always be known.

► Create a non-contaminating adjustable lens system
     ♦  To enable star tracking CCD senors to image closes range scientifically interesting objects.
     ♦  Standard size reference cube will be provided.

► Develop networked remote control
     ♦ Including hardware and standard software interface for control of multiple devices.  (i.e. reactors, robots,
        rovers, and HAB)

Earth Applications:

►  Electronic sextant for Earthly outdoor adventurers 
     or mariners, who want to prove they can truly
     navigate (NO GPS).
.
► Learning tool and game
    ♦  Remote control for the AR Drone - With a 
       firmware update, the virtual reality game Mars
       Base One can be played on the MARTIAN device.
    ♦  Boyscout Navigator Badge tool - With its inertial
       compass, metal objects will never foil the
       explorer again.
    ♦ Mars Geocaching - Where corresponding latitude
      and longitude points on Mars and Earth allow
      people to explore areas of Mars, like                
      Valles Marineris as they travel and hide treasures
      on their own home world.
      

Space Applications:

► Self powered Amateur Radio like HT for global 
    communication on Mars.

► Personal navigation tool, notepad , and always
    ready camera for astronauts.

► System which utilizes one of Earth's oldest and
    lowest bandwidth forms of communication ...TEXT  
    MESSEAGES

► Networked remote control to allow astronauts to
    stay within HAB or rover while checking equipment
    and robots in the field.

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