Pennies from Heaven: A Retrospective on the Use of Wireless Sensor Networks for Planetary Exploration

Wireless sensor networks are finding many applications in terrestrial sensing. It seems natural to propose their use for planetary exploration. A previous study (the Mars daisy) has put forward a scenario using thousands of millimeter scale wireless sensor nodes to undertake a complete survey of an area of a planet. This paper revisits that scenario, in the light of some of the discussions surrounding its presentation. The practicality of some of the ideas put forward is examined again, and an updated design sketched out. It is concluded that the updated design could be produced using currently available technology.