Introduction

Imaging is one branch that has to be considered quite carefully during the design of a rover. A major objective of a planetary rover is to explore new terrains, map out uncharted regions and take geological samples. To achieve these objectives without the aid of still and video pictures will be near an impossible venture. It is in the light of this that rovers have several cameras mounted on it, each camera designed to perform a different task or acting as a member of a group of cameras designed for a specific purpose.

Applications and Cameras in general

There are various applications for the images generated by a rover, a few examples of these are listed below.
Navigation; the rover needs to be able to tell its location at all times and determine what direction it is... Read more

Hazard Detection Cameras

Rovers are usually deplored to distant planets and asteroids and these locations could be tens of millions of miles away from the base station on Earth. Given the constraint that data cannot travel faster than the speed of light, instructions from Earth... Read more

Navigational Cameras and Science Cameras

Navigational cameras are pair of cameras that compliment the hazard cameras by provide a different view of the terrain. Unlike the hazard cameras that are located at the base of the rover, the navigational cameras are located at the front part of.... Read more

Microscopic Imager

Geological survey of the topography is integrated into the mission of any exploratory rover. Scientists often need to view rock and soil samples at very high magnifications to aid them in their studies. A specially made camera whose magnification... Read more