Compatibility tests between the mars vehicle system test bed and RIMFAX radar antenna prototype for the mars 2020 mission

NASA's Mars 2020 rover will carry a wideband (150 MHz to 1200 MHz) ground penetrating radar—RIMFAX, contributed by FFI of Norway—to survey the subsurface geology of Mars. RIMFAX will take radar soundings while the rover drives across the Martian terrain, which presents possible compatibility issues between rover and radar operations. In order to study this risk, a prototype RIMFAX antenna was attached to the flight-analogous rover Vehicle System Test Bed (VSTB) in a mechanically representative location. The prototype antenna collected spectral and time-domain data across a variety of driving operations in order to assess the radar sensitivity to rover-generated noise. Conversely, the prototype antenna was driven while an engineering-model UHF antenna used for rover telecom measured received in-band power to ensure that the rover hardware was not at risk of damage. Evaluation of the data by the instrument science team showed that while rover noise was apparent to the receiver, data post-processing would yield >40 dB margin to the science requirements. Similarly, power levels received by the UHF antenna were well below damage thresholds.