High radiation and temperatures: bearing in the Mars rover's power supply

The ExoMars mission, planned by the European Space Agency (ESA), aims to search for traces of past or present life on Mars. Airbus Defence & Space was entrusted with the design and construction of the rover and in return commissioned Airbus SENER Poland to manufacture a mechanical-electrical connection between the rover and the landing module, which supplies the vehicle with power after landing and during rover operation on Mars (so-called Umbilical Release Mechanism). The module consists of a basic and an emergency power system, which is exposed to extreme conditions such as high radiation and temperatures close to absolute zero. The system must be dust and weatherproof and able to withstand harsh conditions from launch on Earth to landing on Mars. Once the power has been supplied, the system is separated from the rover and placed on the lander so that the vehicle can move undisturbed on the surface of Mars.

For the bearing of the " "Umbilical Release Mechanism", which ensures the energy supply of the rover, the responsible designers at SENER Poland decided in favour of plain bearings made of the material iglidur®. They are suitable for the aggressive environmental conditions for various reasons. They also work at temperatures of -80 °C and do not require any external lubrication, as the material is self-lubricating. As the remote-controlled rover is difficult to maintain, this was a decisive factor. For work in a vacuum, the specification of iglidur® to absorb only a small amount of moisture is also important. The low coefficient of friction with aluminium is also an advantage. In addition, the iglidur® bearings do not contain any organic material and therefore do not represent a source of biological contamination during the Mars mission.