14 December 2004 |
http://www.nuclearspace.com/a_2009_Rover.htm |
The NASA Mars Exploration Program (MEP) will launch a spaceflight mission to Mars in late 2009 that will land a nuclear powered roving Mars Science Laboratory on the surface of the planet. The long duration rover will be equipped to perform many scientific studies of Mars. The primary scientific objectives of the mission will be to assess the biological potential of at least one target area, characterize the local geology and geochemistry, investigate planetary processes relevant to habitability, including the role of water, and to characterize the broad spectrum of surface radiation. The mission is planned to last at least one martian year (687 days). The landing site has not been chosen, but will be selected based on an assessment of its capacity to sustain life. ![]() The main source of power for Spirit and Opportunity comes from a multi-panel solar array. When fully illuminated, the rover solar arrays generate about 140 watts of power for up to four hours per sol (a Martian day). The rover needs about 100 watts (equivalent to a standard light bulb in a home) to drive. Comparatively, the Sojourner roverīs solar arrays provided the 1997 Pathfinder mission with around 16 watts of power at noon on Mars. Thatīs equivalent to the power used by an oven light. The power system for Spirit and Opportunity includes two rechargeable batteries that provide energy for the rover when the sun is not shining, especially at night. Over time, the batteries will degrade and will not be able to recharge to full power capacity. Also, by the end of the 90-sol mission, the capability of the solar arrays to generate power will likely be reduced to about 50 watts of power due to anticipated dust coverage on the solar arrays (as seen on Sojourner/Mars Pathfinder), as well as the change in season. Mars will drift farther from the sun as it continues on its yearly elliptical orbit, and because of the distance, the sun will not shine as brightly onto the solar arrays. Additionally, Mars is tilted on its axis just like Earth is, giving Mars seasonal changes. Later in the mission, the seasonal changes at the landing site and the lower position of the Sun in the sky at noon than in the beginning of the mission will mean less energy on the solar panels. The rover twins are in turn paving the way for the next generational leap to the nuclear powered Mars Science Laboratory, scheduled to arrive in 2010. This rover, massive in size and loaded with more science instruments than ever before, is being designed to last longer, rove farther, and with the advantage of nuclear power, enable the rover to conduct more science. ![]() But it's not just about the total amount of electrical generation for the science instruments. It's also the duration of power generation. Spirit and Opportunity max out at 140 watts for up to four hours per day. The nuclear powered rover will have 580 watts of power production available 24 hours and 37 minutes (the length of a martian day) every day. The 2009 Rover's power surplus will allow increased robotic capability that is expected to significantly increase the quality and quantity of science conducted on the Martian surface. Compared to the 2003 MER rovers equipped to travel up to 100 yards a day for three-months, the MSL rover will explore miles of the Red Planet during a multiyear mission, conducting science investigation in less time and with less human oversight than previous Mars rovers. Spirit and Opportunity were also limited by their solar dependency as to where on Mars they could land and still collect enough sunlight to power their instruments and drive motors. No such limitation will be imposed on the nuclear powered rover, it could even operate at night. And finally, solar powered systems fail much more rapidly. The batteries can only survive so many discharge/recharge cycles. Nuclear powered systems do not use batteries.
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NASA Selects Investigations for the Mars Science Laboratory |
NASA has selected eight proposals to provide instrumentation and associated science investigations for the mobile Mars Science Laboratory rover, scheduled for launch in 2009. Proposals selected today were submitted to NASA in response to an announcement of opportunity released in April.
In addition to the instrumentation selected, Mars Science Laboratory would carry a pulsed neutron source and detector for measuring hydrogen (including water), provided by the Russian
Federal Space Agency. The project would also include a meteorological package and an ultraviolet sensor provided by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. "The Mars Science Laboratory is an extremely capable system, and the selected instruments will bring an analytical laboratory to the martian surface for the first time since the Viking landers over 25 years ago," said Douglas McCuistion, Mars Exploration Program director at NASA Headquarters. The selected proposals will conduct preliminary design studies to focus on how the instruments can be accommodated on the mobile platform, completed and delivered consistent with the mission schedule. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the Science Mission Directorate. Selected investigations and principal investigators:
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