PDS_VERSION_ID = PDS3 RECORD_TYPE = STREAM LABEL_REVISION_NOTE = "2011-03-27 MER:crisp Original; 2011-11-14 MSL:crisp Updated mission phases, fixed typos, specified Gale Crater as the chosen landing site; 2012-05-14 GEO:slavney Changed all LANDER references to ROVER; 2013-01-22 GEO:slavney Added mission alias Curiosity, fixed long lines; 2013-01-28 MSL:crisp updated for actual launch date and past tense for things that have completed; 2013-08-23 GEO:slavney Corrected number of mission phases; 2014-10-12 MSL:crisp updated for updated start date for Extended Surface Mission, updated the primary surface mission description and mission objectives overview;" OBJECT = MISSION MISSION_NAME = "MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY" OBJECT = MISSION_INFORMATION MISSION_START_DATE = 2003-10-01 MISSION_STOP_DATE = UNK MISSION_ALIAS_NAME = "CURIOSITY" MISSION_DESC = " Mission Overview ================ Development of the Mars Science Laboratory project began in 2003. On November 26 2011, the Mars Science Laboratory mission launched a spacecraft on a trajectory to Mars, and on August 6, 2012 (UTC), it landed a mobile science vehicle named Curiosity at a landing site in Gale Crater. During the trip to Mars, instrument health checks were performed and the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) instrument collected science data. For the primary mission on the surface of Mars (ending September 28, 2014), the rover explored the landing site and gathered imaging, spectroscopy, composition data, and other measurements for selected Martian soils, rocks, and the atmosphere. These data will allow the science team to quantitatively assess the habitability and environmental history. The prime mission's science objectives were to assess the biological potential of the landing site, characterize the geology of the landing region, investigate planetary processes that influence habitability, and characterize the broad spectrum of surface radiation. The first extended mission retains all of the prime mission's objectives and will also strive to: identify and quantitatively assess the subset of habitable environments that are also capable of preserving organic compounds, and explore and characterize major environmental transitions recorded in the geology of the foothills of Mt. Sharp and adjacent plains. The science instruments, with an acronym or abbreviation and Principal Investigator (PI) are listed below: Science Instrument PI ------------------------------------------------- -------------------- Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) Ralf Gellert Chemical Camera (ChemCam) Roger Wiens Chemistry & Mineralogy (CheMin) David Blake Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) Igor Mitrofanov Mast Camera (Mastcam) Michael Malin Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) Kenneth Edgett Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) Michael Malin Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) Don Hassler Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) Javier Gomez-Elvira Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Paul Mahaffy Mission Phases ============== The Mars Science Laboratory Mission is divided in time into six phases: (1) Development; (2) Launch; (3) Cruise and Approach; (4) Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL); (5) Primary Surface Mission; and (6) Extended Surface Mission. DEVELOPMENT ----------- Development of the Mars Science Laboratory mission began in October 2003 with concept and technology development, followed by preliminary design and technology development completion from March 2006 through September 2006, final design and fabrication from September 2006 through January 2008, and system assembly, integration, and test from late January 2008 until launch on November 26, 2011. Spacecraft Id : MSL Target Name : MARS Mission Phase Start Time : 2003-10-01 Mission Phase Stop Time : 2011-11-26 Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER LAUNCH ------ The launch phase began when the spacecraft switched to internal power prior to launch and ended when the spacecraft reached a thermally stable commandable configuration after separation from the launch vehicle upper stage. MSL was launched on an ATLAS V 541 launch vehicle on November 26 2011 at 15:02 UTC (10:02 EST) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Spacecraft Id : MSL Target Name : MARS Mission Phase Start Time : 2011-11-26 Mission Phase Stop Time : 2011-11-26 Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER CRUISE AND APPROACH ------------------- The cruise and approach phase began when the launch phase ended, and ended 30 minutes prior to entry into the Mars atmosphere. The MSL spacecraft used a ballistic Type 1 interplanetary transfer during cruise from Earth to Mars. The major activities during cruise included: checkout and maintenance of the spacecraft in its flight configuration; monitoring, characterization, and calibration of the spacecraft and payload systems; software parameter updates; attitude correction turns; navigation activities for determining and correcting the vehicle's flight path; and preparation for EDL and surface operations. Three Trajectory Correction Maneuvers (TCMs) were conducted during cruise. The only science investigation during cruise was radiation monitoring by the RAD instrument. Approach began 45 days before entry into the Martian atmosphere and ended 30 minutes before entry. During approach, the focus of operations was primarily on navigation activities (including a fourth and final TCM eight days before landing), and preparation for entry, descent, and landing. Spacecraft Id : MSL Target Name : MARS Mission Phase Start Time : 2011-11-26 Mission Phase Stop Time : 2012-08-06 Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER ENTRY, DESCENT, AND LANDING --------------------------- The entry, descent, and landing (EDL) phase began when the Cruise and Approach Phase was over (30 minutes before atmospheric entry), and ended when the rover reached a thermally stable, positive energy balance, commandable configuration on the surface of Mars. During this phase, a series of events was self-triggered on the spacecraft. Before entry, the thermal loop was vented and the cruise stage was jettisoned. The entry vehicle, consisting of the backshell, heat shield, descent stage, and rover, performed a series of guided maneuvers. Cruise balance masses separated to adjust the center of mass of the entry vehicle. At 3522.2 km from the center of Mars, the vehicle entered the atmosphere. This was followed by peak heating, peak deceleration, supersonic parachute deploy, and heat shield separation. At the appropriate time, the descent stage engines started, the backshell and parachute separated, and the MARs Descent Imager (MARDI) started recording video. As the descent stage approached the surface using powered descent, at an altitude of about 18.6 m, the rover was lowered on a descent rate limiter and bridle umbilical device to 7.5 m below the descent stage, and its wheels were deployed into the touchdown configuration. The descent stage continued descending until the rover touched down on the surface of Mars. The rover landed in Gale Crater at the latitude of 4.5895 degrees South, and longitude of 137.4417 degrees East, in late southern winter (Solar Longitude L=150.7), at 15:03 Local Mean Solar Time on Mars (August 6, 2012, 05:18 UTC Spacecraft Event Time). Upon successful touchdown, the descent rate limiter and bridle umbilical device were cut. The descent stage flew away and impacted the surface 650 meters away from the rover. Spacecraft Id : MSL Target Name : MARS Mission Phase Start Time : 2012-08-06 Mission Phase Stop Time : 2012-08-06 Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER PRIMARY SURFACE MISSION ----------------------- The surface phase began when the EDL phase ended and will end when the mission is declared complete. The flight mission was designed to provide for a surface mission phase duration of at least one Mars year (687 days, or 669 sols). Following touchdown, a combination of automated rover sequences and planned checkouts was executed in order to bring the rover up to a basic level of functionality and to verify that the rover systems and payload were all operating as expected. A surface initial checkout period was defined as starting at successful rover touchdown on Mars with descent stage separation/fly-away, and concluded with a transition to normal tactical operations. Originally, the prime mission was expected to last through Sol 670 but the project was given an extension of about 3 months, in order to sync up the beginning of its 1st Extended Mission with the NASA fiscal year. Spacecraft Id : MSL Target Name : MARS Mission Phase Start Time : 2012-08-06 Mission Phase Stop Time : 2014-09-28 Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER EXTENDED SURFACE MISSION ------------------------ The extended surface phase began on Sol 764. Spacecraft Id : MSL Target Name : MARS Mission Phase Start Time : 2014-09-29 Mission Phase Stop Time : UNK Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER " MISSION_OBJECTIVES_SUMMARY = " Mission Objectives Overview =========================== The Mars Science Laboratory began surface operations soon after the Curiosity rover landed. The overall scientific goal of the mission has been to quantitatively assess past and present habitable environments at Gale crater. The MSL rover carries ten scientific instruments and a sample acquisition, processing, and distribution system. The various science payload elements are used as an integrated suite to characterize the local geology, study potential sampling targets with remote and in situ measurements; to acquire samples of rock, soil, and atmosphere and analyze them in onboard analytical instruments; and to observe the environment around the rover. An overview of the science mission is provided in [GROTZINGERETAL2012]. The MSL rover was sent to investigate Gale crater, which shows clear evidence for ancient aqueous processes based on orbital data and to undertake the search for past and present habitable environments. Assessment of present habitability requires an evaluation of the characteristics of the environment and the processes that influence it from microscopic to regional scales and a comparison of those characteristics with what is known about the capacity of life, as we know it, to exist in such environments. Determination of past habitability has the added requirement of inferring environments and processes in the past from observation in the present. Such assessments require the integration of a wide variety of chemical, physical, and geological observations. MSL is not a life detection mission and is not designed to detect extant vital processes that would betray present-day microbial metabolism. Nor does it have the ability to image microorganisms or their fossil equivalents. MSL does have, however, the capability to detect complex organic molecules in rocks and soils. If present, these might be of biological origin, but could also reflect the influx of carbonaceous meteorites. More indirectly, MSL has the analytical capability to probe other less unique biosignatures, specifically, the isotopic composition of inorganic and organic carbon in rocks and soils, particular elemental and mineralogical concentrations and abundances, and the attributes of unusual rock textures. The main challenge in establishment of a biosignature is finding patterns, either chemical or textural, that are not easily explained by physical processes. MSL is also be able to evaluate the concentration and isotopic composition of potentially biogenic atmospheric gases such as methane, which has been detected in the modern atmosphere. But compared to the current and past missions that have all been targeted to find evidence for past or present water, the task of searching for habitable environments is significantly more challenging (e.g., [GROTZINGER2009]). Primarily, this is because the degree to which organic carbon would be preserved on the Martian surface - even if it were produced in abundance - is unknown. The MSL prime mission had eight science objectives in order to address the overall habitability assessment goal: (1) Characterize geological features, contributing to deciphering geological history and the processes that have modified rocks and regolith, including the role of water; (2) Determine the mineralogy and chemical composition of surface and near- surface materials (including an inventory of elements such as C, H, N, O, P, S, etc., known to be the building blocks for life); (3) Determine energy sources that could be used to sustain biological processes; (4) Characterize organic compounds and potential biomarkers in representative regolith, rocks, and ices; (5) Determine stable isotopic and noble gas composition of the present-day atmosphere and of ancient H2O and CO2 preserved in hydrated minerals (italicized wording is new; added for clarification); (6) Identify potential biosignatures (chemical, textural, isotopic) in rocks and regolith; (7) Characterize the broad spectrum of surface radiation, including galactic cosmic radiation, solar particle events, and secondary neutrons; and (8) Characterize the local environment, including basic meteorology, the state and cycling of water and CO2, and the near-surface distribution of hydrogen. For the first extended mission, the original eight prime mission objectives were retained and two new ones were added: (9) Identify and quantitatively assess 'taphonomic windows' for organic carbon (subset of habitable environments also capable of preserving organic compounds, through exposure age dating and refined models for primary facies distributions and diagenesis) and (10) Explore and characterize major environmental transitions recorded in the geology of the foothills of Mt. Sharp and adjacent plains." END_OBJECT = MISSION_INFORMATION OBJECT = MISSION_HOST INSTRUMENT_HOST_ID = "MSL" OBJECT = MISSION_TARGET TARGET_NAME = "MARS" END_OBJECT = MISSION_TARGET END_OBJECT = MISSION_HOST OBJECT = MISSION_REFERENCE_INFORMATION REFERENCE_KEY_ID = "GROTZINGER2009" END_OBJECT = MISSION_REFERENCE_INFORMATION OBJECT = MISSION_REFERENCE_INFORMATION REFERENCE_KEY_ID = "GROTZINGERETAL2012" END_OBJECT = MISSION_REFERENCE_INFORMATION END_OBJECT = MISSION END