The Mars Science LaboratoryThe Mars Science LaboratoryAshwin R. VasavadaDeputy Project ScientistJet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech

Copyright 2012 California Institute of Technology. Government sponsorship acknowledged.

CuriosityCuriosity

NASA’s Mars Exploration Program

The data/information contained herein has been reviewed and approved for release by JPL Export Administration on the basis that this document contains no export-controlled information.

Launch Year

MROMRO

Mars Express(ESA)Mars Express(ESA)

OdysseyOdyssey

MERMER

2016 and Beyond20132011

PhoenixPhoenix Mars Science LabMars Science Lab

In FormulationIn Formulation

2000 to Present

MAVENMAVEN

MERMER

Recent missions have discovered that Mars’ surface reveals a diverse and dynamic history, including evidence for sustained interactions with liquid water.

By studying a potentially habitable, ancient environment, MSL is a bridge to future missions that focus on life detection or returning samples.

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Curiosity’s CapabilitiesA Mobile Geochemical and Environmental Laboratory

A Robotic Field Geologist• Long life, ability to traverse many

miles over rocky terrain

• Landscape and hand-lens imaging

• Ability to survey composition of bedrock and regolith

• Ability to acquire and process dozens of rock and soil samples

• Instruments that analyze samples for chemistry, mineralogy, and organics

• Sensors to monitor water, weather, and natural high-energy radiation

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Mars resembles Earth in many ways, especially in its early history

But was Mars ever a habitable planet?

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Mission Overview

SURFACE MISSION• Prime mission is one Mars year• Radioisotope power source for long

life and robustness to dust• 75 kg (165 lbs.) of science payload• Direct (uplink) and relayed (downlink)

communication• Fast CPU and large onboard data

storage

ENTRY, DESCENT, LANDING• 900-kg (1 ton) rover

• Guided entry and powered “sky crane” descent

• 7×20-km landing ellipse

• Ability to drive out of ellipse

• Headed for Gale crater

CRUISE/APPROACH• 8½-month cruise

• Arrives August 5, 2012 (PDT)

LAUNCH• Launched on

Nov. 26, 2011

• Atlas V (541)

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MSL Science PayloadREMOTE SENSING

Mastcam (M. Malin, MSSS) - Color and telephoto imaging, video, atmospheric opacity

ChemCam (R. Wiens, LANL/CNES) – Chemical composition; remote micro-imaging

CONTACT INSTRUMENTS (ARM)

MAHLI (K. Edgett, MSSS) – Hand-lens color imaging

APXS (R. Gellert, U. Guelph, Canada) - Chemical composition

ANALYTICAL LABORATORY (ROVER BODY)

SAM (P. Mahaffy, GSFC/CNES) - Chemical and isotopic composition, including organics

CheMin (D. Blake, ARC) - Mineralogy

ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION

MARDI (M. Malin, MSSS) - Descent imaging

REMS (J. Gómez-Elvira, CAB, Spain) - Meteorology / UV

RAD (D. Hassler, SwRI) - High-energy radiation

DAN (I. Mitrofanov, IKI, Russia) - Subsurface hydrogen

Wheel Base: 2.8 mHeight of Deck: 1.1 mGround Clearance: 0.66 mHeight of Mast: 2.2 m

DAN

REMS

ChemCamMastcam

RAD

MAHLIAPXSBrushDrill / SievesScoop

MARDI

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Sampling System

• Cleans rock surfaces with a brush

• Places and holds the APXS and MAHLI instruments

• Acquires samples of rock or soil with a powdering drill or scoop

• Sieves the samples (to 150 μm or 1 mm) and delivers them to instruments or an observation tray

• Exchanges spare drill bits

2.25-m Robot Arm

Extra Drill Bits

Sample Observation Tray

Turret

Organic Check Material

Drill

CHIMRAAPXS

MAHLI

Brush7

Science Strategy

2. TRAVERSE/APPROACH

• Driving ~100 m per sol

• Imaging and profiling chemistry along the drive

• Locating sampling targets

1. REMOTE SENSING

• Landscape imaging

• Sampling of rock and soil chemistry

3. CONTACT SCIENCE

• Removal of surface dust

• Chemical and hand-lens observations of a specific target

4. SAMPLE ACQUISITION/ANALYSIS

• Drilling, processing, and delivering sample material to the rover’s lab instruments

• Analyzing for mineralogy, organics, elemental and isotopic chemistry

Each class of activity may require multiple sols. Results from each class are reviewed on Earth before moving on to the next. Weather and radiation monitoring occur on all sols.

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Rover Family Portrait

Spirit andOpportunity

2003

Sojourner1996

Curiosity2011 9

Rover Driving Test

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Parachute Test

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First Spacecraft Integration

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Assembled Spacecraft

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Putting it Together for the Final Time

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Mars Landing Sites(Previous Missions and MSL Final Candidates)

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Gale Crater and Mt. Sharp

The path shown is an example based on terrain analysis. 16

The Strata of Mt. Sharp

150-km Gale Crater contains a 5-km high mound of stratified rock. Strata in the lower section of the mound vary in mineralogy and texture, suggesting that they may have recorded environmental changes over time. Curiosity can investigate this record for clues about habitability, and the ability of Mars to preserve evidence about habitability or life.

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Rocks are Records of Change

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MSL Entry, Descent, and Landing

• Guided entry corrects for atmospheric variability and improves landing accuracy

• “Sky Crane” design places the rover directly on Martian soil while keeping the rockets away from the ground

Parachute DescentHeatshield SeparationBackshell Separation

Powered Descent

Touchdown

Max Heating and Deceleration

Cruise StageSeparation

Guided Entry (horizontal flight)

Sky Crane

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Learn More about Curiosity

Mars Science LaboratoryMars Science Laboratoryhttp://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mslhttp://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl

MSL for ScientistsMSL for Scientistshttp://msl-scicorner.jpl.nasa.govhttp://msl-scicorner.jpl.nasa.gov

Mars Exploration ProgramMars Exploration Programhttp://mars.jpl.nasa.govhttp://mars.jpl.nasa.gov

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