PolyU joins nation’s first Mars probe mission
Hong Kong Polytechnic University is set to participate in the nation’s first Mars probe by jointly developing a camera with the China Academy of Space Technology.
The camera will be deployed during a single mission to conduct orbital and surface explorations of Mars, the first such attempt by any country, PolyU said.
Under the agreement, signed by the university and the academy on Wednesday, PolyU will complete development of the Mars camera by 2019.
The PolyU team has already produced a model, but the specific timetable for completing the camera remains unknown.
The launch of the Mars probe is tentatively scheduled for 2020. Landing on Mars is expected in nine to 12 months after launch. After landing, the camera will monitor the deployment status of the spacecraft with respect to its solar panel and antenna, as well as its movement.
Designing such a camera presents significant challenges, according to Yung Kai-leung, lead researcher of the 20-member development team.
The biggest challenge is the high reliability required under a prolonged period of extreme temperatures, radiation and mechanical vibration, said Yung, chair professor of PolyU’s precision engineering and associate head of the university’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.
To address these difficulties, the camera, light weight at about 380 grams, will be capable of enduring temperature as low as minus 70 C, sufficient for normal operation under the extremely low temperature on the surface of Mars. To survive any mechanical vibrations during the voyage to Mars, it will be also designed with the capability to tolerate an impact shock equal to 6,200 times of the strength of Earth’s gravity.
The China Academy of Space Technology will undertake the task of testing the camera, and provide most of the funding for the project.
PolyU is the only Hong Kong scientific institution undertaking development work on this specific camera type, according to Wai Ping-kong, vice-president of research and development at PolyU.
The camera is the most sophisticated among 10 similar devices. The one that PolyU is responsible for will be installed on the top of the spacecraft, exposing it to a higher risk of malfunction. The other nine will be developed by Chinese mainland institutions, Wai explained.
Being chosen to participate in such a challenging mission shows that the country recognizes the scientific competence of PolyU and Hong Kong, Wai said.
“I appreciate that the country could give such a chance for PolyU to participate in its space exploration missions, which carry highly confidential status and significant importance to the nation’s development,” said Wai.