Co-Delivery of Multiple Small Probes to the Martian Surface

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel W. Albert ◽  
Hanspeter Schaub ◽  
Robert D. Braun
Keyword(s):  
Martian Surface

CHASSIS DESIGN & PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS FOR THE EUROPEAN EXOMARS ROVER

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 507-517
Author(s):  
Alex Ellery ◽  
Lutz Richter ◽  
Reinhold Bertrand
Keyword(s):  
Performance Analysis ◽  
Weight Distribution ◽  
High Performance ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
Scientific Instrument ◽  
Equal Weight ◽  
Scientific Instruments ◽  
Design Issues ◽  
Martian Surface ◽  
Considerable Size

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) ExoMars rover has recently been subject to a Phase A study led by EADS Astrium, UK. This rover mission represents a highly ambitious venture in that the rover is of considerable size ~200+kg with high mobility carrying a highly complex scientific instrument suite (Pasteur) of up to 40 kg in mass devoted to exobiological investigation of the Martian surface and sub-surface. The chassis design has been a particular challenge given the inhospitable terrain on Mars and the need to traverse such terrain robustly in order to deliver the scientific instruments to science targets of exobiological interest, We present some of the results and design issues encountered during the Phase A study related to the chassis. In particular, we have focussed on the overall tractive performance of a number of candidate chassis designs and selected the RCL (Science & Technology Rover Company Ltd in Russian) concept C design as the baseline option in terms of high performance with minimal mechanical complexity overhead. This design is a six-wheeled double-rocker bogie design to provide springless suspension and maintain approximately equal weight distribution across each wheel.

Some comments on “the composition of the Martian surface”

Icarus ◽  
1965 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.G. Rea
Keyword(s):  
Martian Surface

scholarly journals DEM Based Study on Shielded Astronomical Solar Radiation and Possible Sunshine Duration under Terrain Influences on Mars by Using Spectral Methods

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Siwei Lin ◽  
Nan Chen
Keyword(s):  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Spatial Structure ◽  
Sunshine Duration ◽  
Temporal Structure ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Planetary Science ◽  
Shielding Effect ◽  
Critical Area ◽  
Martian Surface ◽  
Test Region

Solar radiation may be shielded by the terrain relief before reaching the Martian surface, especially over some rugged terrains. Yet, to date, no comprehensive studies on the spatial structure of shielded astronomical solar radiation (SASR) and the possible sunshine duration (PSD) on Mars have been conducted by previous researchers. Previous studies generally ignored the influences of the terrain on the SASR and PSD, which resulted in a corresponding unexplored field on SASR. The purpose of this paper is to study the Martian spatial-temporal structure of SASR and the PSD under terrain influences. In this paper, the theory of Earth’s SASR, the previous Martian SASR model and the theory of planetary science were combined to propose the SASR model that can be applied to Mars. Then, with the spectrum method theory of geography, we defined two new concepts of spectrums to explore the spatial-temporal distribution of SASR and PSD in different Martian landforms. We found SASR and PSD on Mars were significantly influenced by terrain relief and latitude and showed sufficient regularity, which can be concluded as a gradual attenuation with terrain relief and a regularity of latitude anisotropy. The latitude anisotropy feature is a manifestation of the terrain shielding effect. With the latitude varying, SASR and PSD at different temporal scale generally showed different features with those of Earth, which may be attributed to the imbalanced seasons caused by Martian moving orbits and velocity. Compared to PSD, SASR showed more regular variation under terrain relief and was more influenced by the terrain relief which revealed that SASR is more sensitive to terrain relief than PSD. Additionally, the critical area is a quantitative index to reflect the stable spatial structure of SASR and PSD in different landforms and may be viewed as the minimum test region of sample areas. The corresponding result of the experiments herein indicated that either spectrum can effectively depict the spatial-temporal distribution of SASR and PSD on Mars under terrain relief and deepen the understanding of the variation of SASR and PSD influences by terrain. The critical area of either spectrum can be employed to explore and determine the stable spatial structure of SASR and PSD in different landforms. The proposed Martian SASR model and the new spectral method theory shed new light on revealing the spatial-temporal structure of SASR and PSD under terrain influences on Mars.

scholarly journals EXAFS Determination of Clay Minerals in Martian Meteorite Allan Hills 84001 and Its Implication for the Noachian Aqueous Environment

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 176
Author(s):  
Ryoichi Nakada ◽  
Gaku Tanabe ◽  
Iori Kajitani ◽  
Tomohiro Usui ◽  
Masashi Shidare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Silica Glass ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Aqueous Environment ◽  
Martian Surface ◽  
Exafs Analysis ◽  
Martian Meteorite ◽  
Fe Species ◽  
Allan Hills 84001 ◽  
X Ray Absorption

The aqueous environment of ancient Mars is of significant interest because of evidence suggesting the presence of a large body of liquid water on the surface at ~4 Ga, which differs significantly from the modern dry and oxic Martian environment. In this study, we examined the Fe-bearing minerals in the 4 Ga Martian meteorite, Alan Hills (ALH) 84001, to reveal the ancient aqueous environment present during the formation of this meteorite. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis was conducted to determine the Fe species in ALH carbonate and silica glass with a high spatial resolution (~1–2 μm). The μ-EXAFS analysis of ALH carbonate showed that the Fe species in the carbonate were dominated by a magnesite-siderite solid solution. Our analysis suggests the presence of smectite group clay in the carbonate, which is consistent with the results of previous thermochemical modeling. We also found serpentine in the silica glass, indicating the decrease of water after the formation of carbonate, at least locally. The possible allochthonous origin of the hematite in the carbonate suggests a patchy redox environment on the ancient Martian surface.

Physical Properties of the Martian Surface from the Viking 1 Lander: Preliminary Results

Science ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 193 (4255) ◽  
pp. 805-809 ◽  
Author(s):  
RICHARD W. SHORTHILL ◽  
ROBERT E. HUTTON ◽  
HENRY J. MOORE ◽  
RONALD F. SCOTT ◽  
CARY R. SPITZER
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Martian Surface ◽  
Preliminary Results

scholarly journals K and Cl concentrations on the Martian surface determined by the Mars Odyssey Gamma Ray Spectrometer: Implications for bulk halogen abundances in Mars

2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (12) ◽  
pp. n/a-n/a ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Jeffrey Taylor ◽  
William V. Boynton ◽  
Scott M. McLennan ◽  
Linda M. V. Martel
Keyword(s):  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Martian Surface ◽  
Gamma Ray Spectrometer ◽  
Mars Odyssey

scholarly journals Detection Capability Verification and Performance Test for the High Resolution Imaging Camera of China’s Tianwen-1 Mission

2021 ◽  
Vol 217 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Yan ◽  
Jianjun Liu ◽  
Xin Ren ◽  
Chunlai Li ◽  
Qiang Fu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Data Processing ◽  
High Resolution Imaging ◽  
Martian Surface ◽  
Detection Capability ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Mars Exploration ◽  
Imaging Camera ◽  
High Resolution Images ◽  
Resolution Imaging

AbstractHigh-resolution optical cameras have always been important scientific payloads in Mars exploration missions, which can obtain detailed images of Martian surface for the study of geomorphology, topography and geological structure. At present, there are still many challenges for Mars high-resolution images in terms of global coverage, stereo coverage (especially for colour images), and data processing methods. High Resolution Imaging Camera (HiRIC) is a high-quality, multi-mode, multi-functional, multi-spectral remote sensing camera that is suitable for the deep space developed for China’s first Mars Exploration Mission (Tianwen-1), which was successfully launched in July 2020. Here we design special experiments based on the in-orbit detection conditions of Tianwen-1 mission to comprehensively verify the detection capability and the performance of HiRIC, from the aspects of image motion compensation effect, focusing effect, image compression quality, and data preprocessing accuracy. The results showed that the performance status of HiRIC meets the requirements of obtaining high resolution images on the Martian surface. Furthermore, proposals for HiRIC in-orbit imaging strategy and data processing are discussed to ensure the acquisition of high-quality HiRIC images, which is expected to serve as a powerful complementation to the current Mars high-resolution images.

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