there is now a radar imager in orbit around Mars. It is one of the payloads on the Mars Express vehicle. I don't know it's resolution, though. If memory serves, the best orbital imaging radars outside of the black world have a resolution of several meters, and they were huge. An orbiting radar capable of imaging something as small as a Mars lander might be difficult to make. Odds are it would require an extremely high frequency, very high bandwidth, and a very large synthetic aperature to get that kind of resolution (about 1 meter). The power requirements would likely be quite high as well.
Increasing the RCS of the lander, either through deliberate design features like those used on the Quail or by making the airbags out of reflective material (I like your idea) should make the job a lot easier.
Space/Science » in reply to re: best hope for contact with Beagle2
As of last week...
The whole thread (20 posts)
- Mars Express is best hope for contact with Beagle2
- re: Mars Express is best hope for contact with Beagle2
- Beagle 2 had to deploy properly on the first night, though, to charge its batteries. This rescue endeavor seems like a publicity SCAM, meant to allure tax dollars.
- re: best hope for contact with Beagle2