Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface Deployments for Mars: Communication and Localization Across Diverse Terrains

Space exploration has witnessed a steady increase since the 1960s, with Mars playing a significant role in our quest for further knowledge. As the ambition to colonize Mars becomes a reality through the collaboration of private companies and space agencies, the need for reliable and robust communication infrastructures in the Martian environment becomes paramount. In this context, reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-empowered communication emerges as a promising technology to enhance the coverage due to lack of multipath components in line-of-sight (LOS) dominated Martian environments. By considering various Martian scenarios such as canyons, craters, mountains, and plateaus, this article explores the potential of RISs in increasing the coverage in Martian environments. The article also provides an overview of RIS-assisted localization in both LOS and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenarios, presenting a general framework for accurate user angle estimation in challenging Martian conditions. The findings and presented framework of this article provide a promising research direction for integrating RISs in deep space communication as well as paving the way for future improvements in interplanetary communication networks.