Space Apps Challenge 2018

challenges faced: -

• the agriculture on Mars are one of two biggest challenge facing astronauts in their view of conquering Mars and making it a suitable place to live in.
• Detection of organic matter on Mars which solve mysterious questions about the possibility of ancient life on Mars or tracking the geologic processes.
• Detection of water resources on Mars which is a great challenge facing astronauts what they aim to find evidence for life or agriculture possibility.

Background:-

Mars and organic matter:-

• Organic matter definition: is a form of molecules that consist Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen.
• Attempts to find organic matter on Mars: Curiosity rover is one of the fascinating attempts of NASA in finding Organic matter on Mars.
• It found tough organic molecules in 3-billion-year-old sedimentary rocks near the surface.· Seasonal MethaneReleases: -Scientists describe the discovery of seasonalvariations in methane in the Martian atmosphere over the course of nearly threeMars years, which is almost six Earth years. This variation was detected byCuriosity’s Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite.Water-rockchemistry might have generated the methane, but scientists cannot rule out thepossibility of biological origins. Methane previously had been detected inMars' atmosphere in large, unpredictable plumes. This new result shows that lowlevels of methane within Gale Crater repeatedly peak in warm, summer months anddrop in the winter every year.(organicmolecules could be created by non-biological processes which aren’t necessarilyindicators of life)·Robot Details:-… In order to increase NASA database about theOrganic matter and the humidity levels in several areas in Mars, we designed arobot that is able to measure the methane gas which is a great indication oforganic matter in any planet in addition to humidity. These measurements openthe possibilities of ancient life on mars as well as irrigation. All theproject and prototype description will be displayed below:
• o RobotDesign: -§ The robot is designed to be able tosimulate the motion of a robot on Mars and its mass need to move harmonicallyon Earth will be multiplied by 2.648 (due to variation in the gravitationalfield strength on Earth and Mars)§ Temperature of the wheels of the robotis monitored by temperature sensor since the average temperature on Mars is-62.778 degree Celsius.
• o Robot Components: -· Arduino UNO board:It is the main computer processing unit ofthe robot.· MQ-2 gas sensor:
  The MQ-2 smoke sensor is sensitive to smoke and to the following flammablegases:LPG, Butane, Propane, Methane, Alcohol,HydrogenThe resistance of the sensor is differentdepending on the type of the gas.The smoke sensor has a built-inpotentiometer that allows you to adjust the sensor sensitivity according to howaccurate you want to detect gas.· Temperature sensor: The type of sensor we used is LM35 temperature sensor which is a series of precision integrated-circuit temperature devices with anoutput voltage linearly-proportional to the Centigrade temperature. Thelow-output impedance, linear output, and precise inherent calibration of theLM35 device makes interfacing to readout or control circuitry especially easy. Thedevice is used with single power supplies, or with plus and minus supplies. Asthe LM35 device draws only 60 µA from the supply, it has very low self-heatingof less than 0.1°C in still air. The LM35 device is rated to operate over a−55°C to 150°C temperature range.· Bluetooth module:to control the movement of the prototype only.· Soil moisture sensor:Calculate the humidity of the soil according to variation of its resistancewhich cause a variation on the voltage which the Arduino read as an analogsignal.· LDR: An LDR isa component that has a (variable) resistance that changes with the lightintensity that falls upon it. Consequently, the voltage of the circuit changesand this enables us use it in our robot for light intensity sensing because wecan know the intensity of light on mars by reading the voltage of the circuit. · Monitor: Itsfunction is to display the data received from the temperature and MQ-2 gassensors.· Driller: As we will control the robot from earth using remote-controllingdevices, we supplied it with a driller to take some samples from Mars’s ground whenwe give it order to do so. In addition, we will use this ability to measure thehumidity of the ground because the robot will insert the electrodes of thehumidity sensor in the position we ordered it to drill and measure the humidityof this area.
  • Results: -
  Test plan1: -
  • We finished our prototype and try to test it the two Arduino boards were obstructed cause the took more volts than need.
  Test plan2: -
  • We dissociated the whole prototype to use another two boards and we regulated the volts and start up with a Li-Ion batteries (12 v, 4800 mA.h) to regulate the board which is connected with the gear motors of the robot and (9 Volt, 1000mA.h) for the other one that is connected with the sensors.
  • Then we tested the prototype and we tested the movement of the prototype and it was moving smoothly and the power supply was suitable for regulating the whole robot.• Resources: -o Mars Facts | MarsExploration Program. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://mars.nasa.gov/allaboutmars/facts/#?c=inspace&s=distanceo Ask NASA Mars. (n.d.).Retrieved from o https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/ask-nasa-mars/#/o Ask NASA Mars. (n.d.).Retrieved from o https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/ask-nasa-mars/#/o Arduino - Home. (n.d.).Retrieved fromo https://www.arduino.cc/o Potter, S. (2018, June 07).NASA Finds Ancient Organic Material, Mysterious Methane on Mars. Retrieved fromhttps://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-finds-ancient-organic-material-mysterious-methane-on-marso Dunbar, B. (n.d.). MartianMethane Reveals the Red Planet is not a Dead Planet. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/marsmethane.html