Page 5 - Industrial Technology EXTRA 8th March 2020

which can be used for navigation
during landing and driving on the
planetary surface, as well as
aiding scientific observations.
Micromotors can control the pan
and tilt functions of the cameras,
as well as the lens filters, and are
crucial in obtaining panoramic
photographs of the environment.
In addition to obtaining video
footage and photographs, rovers
can collect surface samples.
Rock and soil samples can help
scientists learn about the
biological and geological history
of a moon or planet. Micromotors are crucial for micromotors that are lightweight and able to deliver
powering the drills that excavate the rock, and the high performance and reliability. EMS is the sole UK
arms that place the sample into onboard storage. supplier of Faulhaber motors, which are made in a
However, micromotors in space are not only finely controlled manufacturing process that ensures
restricted to rovers, they’ve been used in probes to consistent high quality. Renowned for their high-
wind and unwind measurement cables, help power density, Faulhaber motors have been used in
operate a flexible energy storage system and help in a number of astronautical engineering projects,
landing. Micromotors have even powered service such as rovers, probes and service robots.
robots that help astronauts with tasks such as In 2014, for the first time in history, humanity
scientific experiments and repairs. landed a probe on a comet. The Rosetta space
probe revealed that comets may have helped
Stringent requirements generate life on Earth by providing the necessary
Once a piece of equipment has been launched into materials. In this extraordinary feat, 14 Faulhaber
space, it’s crucial that it can perform its job for the drive systems survived the ten-year journey through
required time. If the technology fails, it can the vacuum and exceptionally low temperatures.
significantly delay the research project. It is very The drives aided sample collection and operated the
rare that the technology can be repaired once in flexible energy storage system.
space, due to the high cost of a repair mission. The colossal size of space provides a wealth of
As well as reliability, it’s important that opportunity for research and discovery, but its harsh
equipment is designed to have the lowest weight environmental qualities raise challenges for
possible. One reason for this is so the technology engineering explorative equipment. Fortunately,
can be successfully transported into space, but it’s power dense micromotors that have consistent high
also because rocket fuel is expensive and quality can power equipment accurately and
environmentally damaging. In fact, it can cost reliability while adding minimal weight, ensuring
around $10,000 to launch one pound of spacecraft that the sky is certainly not the limit.
into Earth orbit. Therefore, it’s important to use www.ems-limited.co.uk

March 2021 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA • p5