What antenna type do rovers like Curiosity primarily use to communicate with orbital assets such as MRO?
Answer
UHF antenna
Rovers, including *Curiosity* and *Perseverance*, utilize a UHF antenna specifically for communicating with orbital assets circling Mars. This is preferred because the UHF transmission is lower power, less directional, and suitable for short, frequent handoffs. The orbital assets, such as the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), Mars Odyssey, or MAVEN, are positioned to catch these signals when passing overhead. Using the UHF system in this relay fashion conserves the rover’s critical battery life, which would be severely depleted if it attempted to use higher-power methods for frequent communication bursts.
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