Key Points
Mission:
á The Mars Science Laboratory will be the largest rover to land on the surface of Mars and will carry the largest arsenal of scientific instruments sent to the planet.
á The Rocks and the soil that this rover will analyze could essentially tell us the planets climate and geological history, hopefully unlocking the secrets of Mars' past.
á 4 goals of the mission:
1. Determine whether life ever arose on Mars
2. Characterize the climate of Mars
3. Characterize the geology of Mars
4. Prepare for Human Exploration
á The mission objectives:
1.
Determine the nature and inventory of
organic carbon compounds
2.
Inventory the chemical building blocks
of life (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, and sulfur)
3.
Identify features that may represent
the effects of biological processes
4. Investigate the chemical, isotopic, and mineralogical composition of the Martian surface and near-surface geological materials.
5. Interpret the processes that have formed and modified rocks and soils
6. Assess long-timescale atmospheric evolution processes
7. Determine present state, distribution, and cycling of water and carbon dioxide.
8. Characterize the broad spectrum of surface radiation, including galactic cosmic radiation, solar proton events, and secondary neutrons.
á The Mars Science Laboratory will also be the first rover to travel 5 to 20 kilometers from its landing site.
Landing Procedure:
á Once the parachute is deployed and the back shell and heating shield are floating towards Mars' surface, the complex landing process begins.
á At a certain height the heat shield will be released and the landing module will be exposed.
á Next the parachute and back shell is released and 4 rockets on the bottom of the landing module are fired, slowing its speed.
á As the rockets fire the Rover is detached from the main Lander and is suspended below the module.
á Finally the rover is set on the Martian surface and the Module above boosts more rocket fuel and flies away.
The Unit:
á Brain:
1. protects all of the delicate instruments that are located on the interior of the rover.
2. The brains of this Rover are comparable to that of a High end laboratory laptop, making it up to 8 times more effective than the current Mars rovers.
3. The computer also contains special memory that can retain the radiation that could be encountered on MarsÕ surface.
4. The rover carries an Inertial Measurement Unit that provides 3-axis information on its position, which enables the rover to make precise vertical, horizontal, and side-to-side movements.
á Body:
1. The rover body is called the warm electronics box, or "WEB" for short. Like a car body, the rover body is a strong, outer layer that protects the rover's computer .The rover body thus keeps the rover's vital organs protected and temperature-controlled.
á Eyes and Sensors:
1. Four Engineering Hazcams – used to capture 3D imagery
2. Two Engineering Navcams – Mounted on the Mast of the Rover, used for Panoramic views
3. Two Science Cameras - Used to take color images and video
4. One Descent Imager – Used to shoot video of the descent such as terrain and landing zone.
5. One Science Hand Lens – Used to take pictures of things smaller then the Diameter of a human hair.
á Arm:
1. Holds and maneuvers the instruments that help scientists get up-close and personal with Martian rocks and soil.
2. At the tip of the arm is the turret structure on which 5 devices are mounted.
o Two of these devices are in-situ or contact instruments known as the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and the Mars Hand Lens Imager.
o The remaining three devices are associated with sample acquisition and sample preparation functions.
á Energy:
1. The rover will carry a radioisotope power system that generates electricity from the heat of plutonium's radioactive decay.
2. This power source gives the mission an operating lifespan on Mars' surface of at least a full Martian year (687 Earth days)
Images and Video Links.
Images:
Video Links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR1MwrLylJY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfYK8r6tlrg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEZ5dEi4oPo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SKv_q-CDLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E37Ss9Tm36c
The following websites assisted in gathering the information to make this site possible:
http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/overview/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Science_Laboratory
http://acquisition.jpl.nasa.gov/rfp/motion-simulator/MSL_EDL_Overview.pdf