WIPE project

RF-WIPE: Wireless Sensor Networks for Planetary Exploration

Primary object of the RF-WIPE project is to identify and characterize possible exploration scenarios suitable to exploit the capabilities of sensors network technologies for planetary explorarion.

Study cases, corresponding to the   more suitable scenarios, will be modelled, simulated and breadborded.

In order to demonstrate the effective capabilities of the wireless sensors technologies, scenarios will be used for a “real-life demonstration”.

Activities for space exploration:

• In situ instrumentation and experiment design. In this case multiple web nodes are spread in or over a large area at the scope of forming a kind of virtual payload able to retrieve planetary data used to map the targeted planetary area.

• Support to robotic mean to facilitate surface exploration. In this case the wireless sensors are used both for navigation and localization, and for communication.

Example objectives:

1. Determine if life never arose on a certain celestial body.
2. Characterize the geology and topology of the body surface.
3. Characterize its climate.
4. All this for science and to prepare for human exploration.

In collaboration with: