Probability of data loss between mars tumbleweed rovers

Abstract

This research advances Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) theories in support of the exploration and mapping of Mars. A Mars Tumbleweed Rover is designed to use wind to propel a network of sensors across the Martian surface. While navigating the surface of Mars, the rovers' collect, aggregate, and communicate environmental and spatial sensor data. The Mars Tumbleweed program envisions releasing numerous autonomous rovers packed with sensors into a remote, desolate, and harsh dynamic environment, requiring a self-configurable, adaptable Wireless Sensor Network. This research examines the probability of sensor data loss between rovers as the range between them increases over time. The research shows the potential of selecting different network parameters to minimize the total power required to sense, process, and transmit data back to a base station. The impact of utilizing probabilistic analysis allows for optimal methods in the design of the WSN to better manage power consumption and maximize data collection over the course of the node lifetime. The research establishes a basic framework from which the general rules of power and network node distance can be established.