[meteorite-list] MARSDROP Microprobes Could Expand Spacecraft Mission Capabilities

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2015 17:10:26 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201503190010.t2J0AQRn029010_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE

FROM:
Alan Fischer
Public Information Officer
Planetary Science Institute
520-382-0411
520-622-6300
fischer at psi.edu


MARSDROP Microprobes Could Expand Spacecraft Mission Capabilities

March 17, 2015, Tucson, Ariz. -- Microprobes that piggyback on Mars-bound
spacecraft could investigate areas currently unavailable to surface
instruments, a Planetary Science Institute researcher said.

The payload could be steered to scientifically desired targets during the
gliding phase, enabling a wide variety of enticing research locations
including canyons, fresh impact crater sites, volcanic region and glaciers,
PSI's Rebecca M.E. Williams said during a poster presentation today at the
46th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston.

The microprobes could target scientifically compelling landing sites at
minimal cost, Williams said. Williams is collaborating with Matthew Eby at
Aerospace Corp and a group or engineers and scientists at JPL led by Robert
Staehle in developing a secondary payload capability called MARSDROP to tag
along on larger primary missions to Mars.

MARSDROP is a small reentry vehicle that has successfully been flown from
Earth orbit. Using this design to reduce cost, the team estimates that two
MARSDROP landers would add less than 5 percent to the base cost of a major
mission. MARSDROP is a cost-effective way to double or triple the number
of Mars landers for each mission opportunity.

"Instead of a traditional parachute, MARSDROP pops out a steerable parawing
that enables targeted delivery of a microprobe. Using terrain-relative
video navigation, a pinpoint landing within tens of meters would be
achievable. This MARSDROP capability opens up a number of very interesting,
previously unreachable, sites for surface-based investigations," said PSI
Senior Scientist Williams. "In addition, MARSDROP can help lay the
groundwork for future human exploration of Mars by characterizing
biohazards like Martian dust and assessing the availability of key
resources, such as water from which oxygen and rocket propellant can be
made."

"What is particularly exciting about this new approach is the possibility
of landing in new locations like the canyons in Valles Marineris or at
modern geologically-active sites such as south polar geysers or locations
with inferred seasonal release of surface water flows. This provides the
opportunity to tackle a range of science questions that aren't possible in
the near-term with existing landing site restrictions", Williams said.
"With MARSDROP we can exploit the excess mass capability on the
cruise-stage vehicle to enhance the science return from each mission."

Visit http://www.psi.edu/news/marsdropimage to see how MARSDROP would land
on a planet.

The team has begun exploring possible payload components that fit within
the 30 centimeter (about 12 inches) capsule and 1 kg (about 2 pounds) size
and weight constraint. Cameras, mineral and fluorescence microscopes would
yield insight into the surface geology, conduct surface change monitoring,
and detect possible organics or astrobiologically relevant minerals.
Network science could be achieved with multiple MARSDROPs carrying weather
sensors and seismometers to detect impact events for subsurface
characterization.

This exploration technology could also be used deployed to other worlds
with atmospheres thicker than Mars including Titan and Venus.


CONTACT:
Rebecca M.E. Williams
Senior Scientist
Williams at psi.edu


PSI INFORMATION:
Mark V. Sykes
Director
520-622-6300
sykes at psi.edu
Received on Wed 18 Mar 2015 08:10:26 PM PDT