Once deployed on the Martian surface, the lander contacts Earth directly to the 46 m parabolic antenna located at the Algonquin Radio Observatory.

[7] There are four primary goals for the mission:[8] The rover system was required for geological surface exploration and for subsurface imaging.

With a mass of approximately 6 kg (13.2 lb), the rover would operate under its own power and have a range of roughly 1 km (0.62 mi).

The MASSur Seismic Sensor, developed by the University of Calgary would have provided depth profiles of the Martian surface.

Specifically, a seismometer would conduct tests to determine the rigidity and elasticity of the Martian topsoil as well as its rock properties.

The Aurora instrument has a mass of 450 g.[9] Similar in design to the Argus 1000 spectrometer flown on CanX-2, the radiometer would be the primary equipment of the Northern Light lander making measurements of spectral rock reflectance.

The wide field survey would provide an overall colour view of the lander's surroundings to help rover deployment and route planning.

The entry system would have been tracked and targeted utilizing a combination of Doppler radar and very long baseline interferometry.

This data would processed by a high-resolution orbital model that utilizes high-precision ephemeris to predict spacecraft location and trajectory.

As the package reaches the Matrian thermosphere continuous tracking would commence in order to verify mechanism deployment during descent.