The K2-18b Exoplanet – Space Exploration Mission

In an exciting leap forward for space science, the James Webb Space Telescope recently discovered the exoplanet K2-18b, a world located in the habitable zone of its red dwarf star. With conditions that suggest it might support life, K2-18b has captured the attention of astronomers and astrobiologists alike. The planet’s potential to harbour life is a monumental discovery, opening new possibilities in the search for extra-terrestrial organisms and, perhaps, even life beyond Earth.

The Mission

To achieve this ambitious goal, we are launching a pioneering mission to send a probe to K2-18b using a newly discovered technology called “light year tele-transportation.” This ground-breaking method will enable us to traverse the vast expanse of space in a fraction of the time it would take with traditional propulsion systems.

Once the probe reaches K2-18b, it will deploy a rover equipped with an array of advanced instruments. The rover’s primary objectives are to explore the planet’s surface, collect atmospheric weather data, and create detailed 3D scans of the environment. To accomplish these tasks, the rover is preloaded with a library of functions that can be used to pre-program missions. These missions will be loaded onto the rover, which will then complete them autonomously.

The Challenge

Each mission algorithm is designed to perform a specific task, such as navigating to a waypoint, collecting atmospheric data, or creating a 3D scan of a particular area.

The rover has a limited power supply and data storage capacity, so it is crucial that we optimise its operations to ensure it can complete its missions without running out of power or exceeding its data storage limits.

Your task is to test 10 of the pre-coded mission algorithms to predict the power consumption and data usage of each mission. By doing so, you will help us ensure that the rover can operate efficiently and effectively on K2-18b.

You can access the 10 mission algorithms in the below frame. By testing these algorithms, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the success of our mission to explore this distant world. We count on you to check all 10 algorithms rigorously!
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