TR Fastenings received the commission from the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), which won a bid with NASA to design and build the radar imager.
The sophisticated radar imager consists of an electronics box mounted inside the rover and an ultra-wideband slot antenna mounted on the rear of the vehicle. The rivets help ensure the structural integrity of the radar’s antenna, which is constructed of lightweight aluminium sheet metal and assembled from several complex parts.
The radar, known as RIMFAX, is one of seven scientific instruments on the exploration rover, which should help establish whether it’s feasible to sustain human life on the Red Planet. The instrument sends radio frequency electromagnetic waves into the ground to a depth of up to 10m, and then detects the reflected signal as a function of time to reveal the hidden subsurface structures and compositions.
The components will be exposed to the hostile conditions of the Red Planet for several years, during which time extreme dust storms and temperatures down to -125°C are practically guaranteed.
Jan-Erik Storsve of TR Fastenings said: “We are extremely proud to be involved in the next Mars mission and everyone at TR is looking forward to the launch with great excitement.”
It will be the first time in TR’s 43-year history that the company has provided components for a space mission.
