The new Rovers are more autonomous, and can fulfil daily assignments on their own, as they are able to carry all of their instruments with them. We need construct circuits that were lighter in weight, meet tight space requirements and still perform without failure in extreme environments.

Multilayer circuits with high flex endurance, low weight and excellent reliability are applied in space exploration applications.Flex and rigid flex printed circuit boards made of DuPont™ Pyralux® AP and LF flexible laminates. Lower weight, high reliability flex circuits for Mars Exploration Rovers used by NASA for space exploration, they turned to DuPont™ Pyralux® materials.

DuPont™ Pyralux® AP, an adhesiveless composite of polyimide films bonded to copper foil, along with Pyralux® type LF material. These materials, made only by DuPont™, were proven by extensive reliability testing in a joint project with NASA, to be ideal for multilayer flex and rigid flex applications which require advanced material performance, temperature resistance and high reliability. Flexible printed circuits made of Pyralux® AP and LF are also in the Rover's electronic wheels, the six panoramic cameras, the manipulator arm, and the panoramic camera telescoping mask. All of the camera boards, which Pioneer both designed and produced, create the images of Mars that we will see. The communication interconnects were built by Pioneer using DuPont™ Pyralux® AP and LF materials.

Reasons for Choosing Pyralux®

• Reliability and consistent process capability
• Excellent electrical performance
• Excellent flex endurance
• Low weight
• Excellent dimensional and chemical characteristics
• Superior mechanical and electrical properties and compatibility with severe environment applications
• Superior thermal resistance for extreme temperature applications