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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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A mechanically pumped single-phase cooling loop was successfully flown on the Mars Pathfinder (MPF) Spacecraft which safely landed on the Martian surface on July 4, 1997. One of the key technologies that enabled the mission to succeed was an active heat rejection system (HRS) used to cool the electronics on the spacecraft during its seven-month cruise from Earth to Mars.
The Mars Pathfinder (MPF) spacecraft, launched in December 1996, is the second launch in NASA's Discovery program.
The Microrover Flight Experiment (MFEX) is a NSAS OACT (Office of Advanced Concepts and Technology) flight experiment which, integrated with the Mars Pathfinder (MPF) lander and spacecraft system, landed on Mars on July 4, 1997.
The Microrover Flight Experiment (MFEX) is a NASA OACT flight experiment which is planned to be delivered and integrated with the Mars Pathfinder (MPF) lander and spacecraft system for landing on Mars on July 4, 1997.
A methodology for estimating the AC impedance of solar arrays and in particular the Mars Pathfinder (MPF) cruise and lander solar arrays is presented.
The Mars Exploration Rovers (MER), were launched in June and July of 2003, repsectively and successfully landed on Mars in early and late January of 2004, repectively. The flight system architecture implemented many successful features of the Mars Pathfinder (MPF) system: A cruise stage that transported an entry vehicle that housed the Lander, which in turn, used airbags to cushion the Rover during the landing event.
The Planetary Image Geometry (PIG) library is a multi-mission library used for projecting images (EDRs, or Experiment Data Records) and managing their geometry for in-situ missions. A collection of models describes cameras and their articulation, allowing application programs such as mosaickers, terrain generators, and pointing correction tools to be written in a multi-mission manner, without any knowledge of parameters specific to the supported missions. Camera model objects allow transformation of image coordinates to and from view vectors in XYZ space. Pointing models, specific to each mission, describe how to orient the camera models based on telemetry or other information. Surface models describe the surface in general terms. Coordinate system objects manage the various coordinate systems involved in most missions. File objects manage access to metadata (labels, including telemetry information) in the input EDRs and RDRs (Reduced Data Records). Label models manage metadata information in output files. Site objects keep track of different locations where the spacecraft might be at a given time. Radiometry models allow correction of radiometry for an image. Mission objects contain basic mission parameters. Pointing adjustment ("nav") files allow pointing to be corrected. The object-oriented structure (C++) makes it easy to subclass just the pieces of the library that are truly mission-specific. Typically, this involves just the pointing model and coordinate systems, and parts of the file model. Once the library was developed (initially for Mars Polar Lander, MPL), adding new missions ranged from two days to a few months, resulting in significant cost savings as compared to rewriting all the application programs for each mission. Currently supported missions include Mars Pathfinder (MPF), MPL, Mars Exploration Rover (MER), Phoenix, and Mars Science Lab (MSL). Applications based on this library create the majority of operational image RDRs for those missions. A Java wrapper around the library allows parts of it to be used from Java code (via a native JNI interface). Future conversions of all or part of the library to Java are contemplated.
This paper describes the analysis of continuum static aerodynamics of Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) entry vehicle (EV). The method is derived from earlier work for Mars Exploration Rover (MER) and Mars Path Finder (MPF) and the appropriate additions are made in the areas where physics are different from what the prior entry systems would encounter. These additions include the considerations for the high angle of attack of MSL EV, ablation of the heatshield during entry, turbulent boundary layer, and other aspects relevant to the flight performance of MSL. Details of the work, the supporting data and conclusions of the investigation are presented.
The Mars Pathfinder (MPF) Spacecraft launched to Mars in December 1996, uses a mechanically pumped loop to transfer dissipated heat from the insulated lander electronics to an external radiator.
The U.S. Mars Exploration Program comprises at least on Discovery mission (Mars Pathfinder), and Mars Surveyor Program, plus sample return missions and other missions to prepare for possible human expeditions to Mars. The original themes of the Mars Surveyor Program (which are still the official program goals) are to understand Life, Climate and Resources on Mars, with these themes tied together by the common thread of Water. The ability to move about the Martian surface is key to the Mars Exploration Program. This paper addresses the overall Mars Exploration Program strategy, with an emphasis of the role of rovers in the program. Specifically, the need for improvements in rover performance is addressed.
Mars Pathfinder Lander was powered by Ga-As solar cells and a silver-zinc Battery.