Extreme environment technologies for NASA's robotic planetary exploration

NASA's 2006 Solar System Exploration Roadmap recommended a set of robotic exploration missions for the next 30 years, in small, medium and large mission classes. These proposed missions are expected to target planets, moons and small bodies in the Solar System, while encountering diverse extreme environmental conditions through their mission phases. These extreme environments (EE) include high and low temperatures and pressures, and high radiation environments at various planetary destinations. EE conditions are often coupled, including high temperatures and pressures near the surface of Venus; or low temperatures and radiation at the Jovian System, for instance near Europa. Extreme environments due to mission operations are also a consideration, for example aeroshell thermal heating during planetary entry. While some of the technologies for EE mitigation are currently available, development of numerous new technologies are also required to enable missions and thus NASA's exploration plans. In response, a comprehensive assessment was performed to identify the state of practice for EE technologies. Furthermore, recommendations were given for future technology developments. In this paper we outline the findings of the EE Technologies Study Team, including discussions on the state of practice of EE technologies; mission impacts; and emerging technology capabilities to enable mission architectures. Under emerging technologies we describe protection systems; component hardening for electronics, mechanisms and energy storage under high and low temperature conditions; and mobility operations. It is expected that the recommendations from the EE report would assist NASA with technology program planning and would help identifying priorities for near term technology investments.