Lagrangian Solar Relays, I discussed earlier will allow continuous communication with a specially deployed surface explorer. The idea is to maintain a certain travel speed so that the explorer would keep line of sight with at least one relay. Mercury’s slow rotation around its axis lowers the required speed to around 3 km per hour for the equator of Mercury. This speed gets even lower if traveled towards the poles.
There is practically no atmosphere on Mercury. As a result, its surface temperature varies between +430 to -180 degrees Celsius. My proposition of exploration point will be such that the explorer will maintain line of sight with a solar relay and have weak solar rays shining on it. This would reduce the negative impact of hazardous solar rays on the explorer. However, the explorer will receive just enough solar ray to power the mechanics of the robot. From an external observer it would look like the explorer is stationery and Mercury is rotating beneath it.
The explorer will be deployed on the surface of Mercury using the deep space propulsion 2, I proposed earlier. The explorer will have legs to allow it go over difficult terrain. These legs will also help the explorer safely land on the surface. The legs will be powered by the solar panels. But most of the electronics will be powered by a nuclear battery. This setup will form a failsafe mechanism by eliminating a chemical backup battery. The explorer will collect samples from the surface and analyze them using the onboard mini lab. It will also transmit live video streams.
The explorer’s route can be modified to cover parts of the polar region as long as they have line of sight with the relays and the sun. Depending on the size of the explorer, it may carry a smaller explorer on board that operates with a nuclear battery to explore shadow regions in close proximity.
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