Much work on the powerplant - a modified 3 litre, diesel engine with 4 x 4 transmission - took place slowly over the past few months. Many components, especially seals, gaskets, clamps and water pipes etc. of the engine were cleaned, inspected, painted and/or replaced. The oil pan was removed, cleaned and painted. A modified oil dump line was fitted and the speedometer cable was removed. The handbrake was dismantled, inspected for wear, tested and replaced. The speedometer cable was removed - it will be replaced with an electronic version. A new triple pulley is to carry a second, 100W alternator and a small airconditioner compressor. Design of the mountings for these devices has been deferred until the powerplant is mounted in the vehicle chassis to ensure a good fit. The powerplant then was transported to the Byfield factory in a special carrier (see below, left). There the unit was positioned in the chassis (below, right) and a plan of which mounting brackets to add, remove or...
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NASA Rover Spirit Lands on Mars
Read the latest news as it unfolds at NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Mission Homepage.
Australia Joins the Search for Beagle 2
Anticipating Christmas on the Red Planet
Read more here.
AMEC 2004 - Call for Papers
We are looking for papers from a variety of disciplines, including geology, astrobiology, psychology/human factors, biomedicine, engineering and robotics. Papers should focus on aspects of research that have direct or potential application to a future human mission to Mars. Information about how to submit a paper (including an abstract submission form) may be found here.
More conference details to be posted shortly.
AMEC 2002 Proceedings Online
Chassis Modifcation Proceeds
Work continues on the chassis modification, which is being strengthened as well as elongated. Before the 3L engine and gearbox is mounted to the chassis, the opportunity to recondition it is being taken (though the engine is in working order). This involves a good deal of hunting for spare parts - some from generic suppliers and some from Toyota dealers. The donor vehicle continues to be stripped of anything useful, including engine mounts, a vacuum reservoir, and electrical parts. The steel carry frame for moving the engine is now finished. While planning construction yesterday, the idea of adding some small wheels arose. The carry frame will only be used once, but parts of it could also be modified into a mobile jig for the cabin body. There are sound logistical reasons for wanting to separate the body from the vehicle chassis, lift and move it about the workshop without distorting it. That also allows work to continue on more than one component of the system at a time. A good...
New Rover Website Launched
Rover Model Prepared
With clearance from the licensing authorities, work on chassis modification is now under way. Detailed design work in the AutoCad model is now being turned into detailed manufacturing drawings, and these are being distributed to a growing cadre of volunteer mechanics, engineers and materials specialists for realisation into metal and plastic. To better visualize the body shape, a 1/12 scale physical model was built (see photo). Meanwhile, there is plenty of work to do to get the refurbished 3L engine mounted into a steel carry frame and moved over to the Byfield's factory. We have also been shopping for more engine parts: a 3-core radiator and fan assembly, 4WD seats, air compressor, and a second alternator. Work has certainly picked up over the last few weeks and should continue to do so in the warmer months of Spring and Summer.
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AMEC 2003 a Success
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The third Australian Mars Exploration Conference was held at Trinity College, East Perth last weekend. It featured an exciting program running over the full weekend, with presentations on topics ranging from space suit technology, space architecture and geology, to data collection technology and the psychological issues associated with deep space missions. The keynote speaker was Dr Vadim Gushin - Lead Researcher, Institute of Bio-Medical Problems - Ministry of Health, Moscow.
More reports to be posted soon.