Q-Tech Corporation has played an essential role in NASA’s successful deployment of its MARS 2020 Perseverance Rover. Launched on July 30, 2020, Perseverance landed in spectacular fashion exactly on target in the Jezero Crater on the Martian surface on February 18, 2021. The Rover‘s payload includes seven primary payload instruments, 19 cameras and two microphones. Its mission, intended to last several years, addresses high-priority science goals for Mars exploration, including key questions about the potential for life on Mars.
Q-Tech Corporation’s deep space qualified crystal oscillators are deployed in many separate subsystems on the Rover, launch vehicle and its payloads. These devices were selected because of their demonstrated compliance with space heritage standards (MIL-PRF-38534, Class K) to assure performance and long-term reliability.
“The deep space nature of Mars exploration places exceptional performance requirements on electronic systems including wide temperature fluctuations, extreme shock and vibration during deployment and long-term exposure to high levels of radiation,” said Ron Stephens, Q-Tech’s president. “We are extremely proud to have been selected by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labs (JPL) as well as many of JPL’s system contractors for participation in this historic program.”
Scott Sentz, Q-Tech’s director of Sales and Marketing added, “A white paper available for download on the Q-Tech website goes into detail on the specific challenges required of crystal oscillators to comply with stringent space-qualification performance and reliability standards. In addition, a table providing a complete list of Q-Tech devices deployed on the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover is also available.”