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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

New Views of the Martian Polar Regions: The Latest Results from the Mars Odyssey THEMIS Investigation

One of the many questions of Martian exploration is to uncover the history of Mars, through analysis of the polar layered deposits (PLD). Martian polar ice caps hold most of the exposed water ice on the surface of Mars and yet their history and physical processes involved in their formation are unclear. In this work we present the latest imaging data acquired by the Mars Odyssey THermal EMission Imaging System (THEMIS) from the South Polar Residual Deposits (SPLD). We will concentrate our analysis on differences observed by THEMIS in winter/early spring and summer periods.

Ivanov, A. B.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Analysis of Properties of the North and South Polar Layered Deposits

One of the many questions of Martian exploration is to uncover the history of Mars, through analysis of the polar layered deposits (PLD). Martian polar ice caps hold most of the exposed water ice on the surface of Mars and yet their history and physical processes involved in their formation are unclear. We will attempt to contribute to our knowledge of the composition and stratigraphy of the PLD. In this work we present the latest imaging data acquired by the Mars Odyssey THermal EMission Imaging System (THEMIS) [1] and place it into context of the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) data. We have discussed the North Polar data in [5]. This work concentrates on data acquired over the South pole of Mars and compares properties of North and South PLD. We are primarily interested in properties of the layers in both ice caps : their continuity, morphology and stratigraphy. These questions can be addressed by THEMIS VIS color images, along with MOC high resolution data and MOLA Digital Elevation Models (DEM). We will investigate thermophysical properties of the layered deposits employing THEMIS IR images. Based on the data obtained by the orbiting spacecraft and described here, we will attempt to expose major directions for modeling and further understanding of the physical processes involved in the formation of the polar layered terrain

Ivanov, A. B.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Mars Rovers, Past and Future

This paper discusses the history of planetary rovers, including research vehicles, from the initial concepts in the early 1960's to the present. General characteristics and their evolution are discussed including mission drivers, technology limitations, controls approach, mobility and overall performance. Special emphasis is given to the next generation mission of rovers, the Mars Science Laboratory rover. This vehicle is being designed for a 2009 launch with the capability to operate over 80% of the surface of Mars for a full Martian year (687 days). It is designed to visit numerous sites, with a science payload capable of making measurements that will enable understanding the past or present habitability of Mars.

Mars rovers↗
NASA NTRS2011

Mars Science Laboratory Entry Guidance Improvements for Mars 2018 (DRAFT)

In 2011, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) will be launched in a mission to deliver the largest and most capable rover to date to the surface of Mars. A follow on MSL-derived mission, referred to as Mars 2018, is planned for 2018. Mars 2018 goals include performance enhancements of the Entry, Descent and Landing over that of its predecessor MSL mission of 2011. This paper will discuss the main elements of the modified 2018 EDL preliminary design that will increase performance on the entry phase of the mission. In particular, these elements will increase the parachute deploy altitude to allow for more time margin during the subsequent descent and landing phases and reduce the delivery ellipse size at parachute deploy through modifications in the entry reference trajectory design, guidance trigger logic design, and the effect of additional navigation hardware.

Garcia-Llama, Eduardo↗
NASA NTRS1997

The Mars Pathfinder Mission

On July 4th, 1997, Mars Pathfinder became the third spacecraft to successfully land on the planet Mars. The mission's primary objective was to demonstrate a low-cost system for delivering a small science payload to the surface of Mars, and to test the operation of a rover.

composition↗
NASA NTRS2019

Mission analysis for a potential Mars Sample Return campaign in the 2020's

The Mars 2020 mission, currently under development by NASA, plans to acquire and cache carefully-selected rock and regolith samples from the surface of Mars for potential future return. NASA and ESA are jointly studying options for returning those samples to Earth with missions launching in the 2020s. This paper demonstrates a method for modeling the various campaign elements, synthesizing coordinated campaign timelines, and assuring trajectory feasibility in the presence of many constraints, and finally optimizing towards mission success. Options for complete sample return campaigns in multiple launch and arrival opportunities are explored and compared.

Huesing, Jakob↗
NASA NTRS2000

Troughs in Ice Sheets and Other Icy Deposits on Mars: Analysis of Their Radiative Balance

It has long been known that groove-like structures in glaciers and ice sheets can trap more incoming solar radiation than is the case for a 'normal' flat, smooth surface. In this presentation, we shall describe the radiative regimes of typical scarps and troughs on icy surfaces of Mars, and suggest how these features originate and evolve through time. The basis of our analysis is the radiation balance model presented by Pfeffer and Bretherton. Their model considers the visible band radiation regime of a V-shaped groove on a terrestrial ice surface, and shows that absorbed energy can be enhanced by up to 50 percent for grooves with small opening angles and with typical polar values of the solar zenith angle. Our work extends this model by considering: (a) departures from V-shaped geometry, (b) both englacial and surficial dust and debris, and (c) the infrared spectrum. We apply the extended model to various features on the Martian surface, including the spiral-like scarps on the Northern and Southern ice sheets, the large-scale chasms (e.g., Chasm Borealis), and groove-like lineations on valley floors thought to be filled with mixtures of dust and icy substances. In conjunction with study of valley-closure experiments, we suggest that spiral-like scarps and chasms are stable features of the Martian climate regime. We also suggest that further study of scarps and chasms may shed light on the composition (i.e., relative proportions of water ice, carbon-dioxide ice and dust) of the Martian ice sheets and valley fills.

Fountain, A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Chemical transport during formation and alteration of Martian impact and volcanic deposits

Much of the surface of Mars, including volcanic and cratered terrains, probably experienced alteration and degassing processes. These processes may have depleted or enriched many important elements in surface materials, including bedrock, dust, and soils. The composition of the martian soil may represent the best estimate, for some elements, of the average composition of the martian crust, similar to the composition of loess created by glacial action on the Earth. The martian soil may represent the only convenient, globally or regionally averaged sample of the martian crust. In order to understand the composition of the source material for the soil, however, we need to understand the contributions of volcanic vs. impact sources for this material and the chemical fractionations involved in its production. The processes to be addressed include degassing of volcanic deposits, as observed in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes at Katmai, Alaska, and degassing of meltbearing impact ejecta as inferred for suevite ejecta sheets at the Ries Crater, and alteration or palagonitization of volcanic deposits, as documented for volcanos in British Columbia and many other volcanic terrains, and impact crater deposits. The process of palagonitization has been the subject of several studies with reference to Mars, and palagonite is a good analogue for the spectroscopic properties of the martian dust. The role of impact in cratering has not been as well studied, although other researchers have established that both degassing and alteration are common features of impact crater deposits. Other relevant sources of experimental data include the extensive literature on the corrosion of nuclear waste glass and leaching of shocked materials.

Newsom, H. E.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Seismic constraints from a Mars impact experiment using InSight and Perseverance

NASA’s InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) mission has operated a sophisticated suite of seismology and geophysics instruments on the surface of Mars since its arrival in 2018. On 18 February 2021, we attempted to detect the seismic and acoustic waves produced by the entry, descent and landing of the Perseverance rover using the sensors onboard the InSight lander. Similar observations have been made on Earth using data from both crewed and uncrewed spacecraft, and on the Moon during the Apollo era, but never before on Mars or another planet. This was the only seismic event to occur on Mars since InSight began operations that had an a priori known and independently constrained timing and location. It therefore had the potential to be used as a calibration for other marsquakes recorded by InSight. Here we report that no signal from Perseverance’s entry, descent and landing is identifiable in the InSight data. Nonetheless, measurements made during the landing window enable us to place constraints on the distance–amplitude relationships used to predict the amplitude of seismic waves produced by planetary impacts and place in situ constraints on Martian impact seismic efficiency (the fraction of the impactor kinetic energy converted into seismic energy).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1999

Spectroscopic Properties of Metamorphosed Mafic Rocks: Remote Sensing Applications on Mars

Reflectance spectroscopy in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths, between 420 mn to 2588 nm. was utilized on a suite of hydrothermally metamorphosed mafic rocks from the Smartville complex in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains in California. A detailed data base of 102 samples was compiled in order to distinguish differences in mineralogy, petrology, and degree of metamorphism for remote sensing applications. Study was limited to metaigneous and metasedimentary rocks in an attempt to spectrally characterize terrestrial rocks analogous to the possible surface of Mars, for a better understanding and possible detection of the geologic features on the remote surface. Diagnostic absorption bands of iron, water, and hydroxyl produced the majority of discernible features in this study. Mossbauer spectroscopy was performed in order to determine specific iron sites. The resulting spectral data base along with thin section mineral identification, metamorphic zone, rock type and location were recorded and available for future application and research. Continued exploration of Mars in the advancing years, will further advance our understanding of the geology of Mars. Spectroscopic techniques will undoubtedly be integral parts of these future missions. Work on terrestrial analogs to the Martian surface must continue, in order to produce extensive data bases and broaden our knowledge of spectral features.

Graff, Trevor G.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Solar System Test of Gravitational Theories

We are engaged in testing gravitational theory, mainly using observations of objects in the solar system and mainly on the interplanetary scale. Our goal is either to detect departures from the standard model (general relativity) - if any exist within the level of sensitivity of our data - or to place tighter bounds on such departures. For this project, we have analyzed a combination of observational data with our model of the solar system, including primarily planetary radar ranging, lunar laser ranging, and spacecraft tracking, but also including both pulsar timing and pulsar VLBI measurements. In the past year, we have included new data in the analysis, primarily tracking data from the Mars Pathfinder mission. Although these data are relatively few in number, they extend the time span of high-precision tracking on the surface of Mars from six years to over 20. As a result, the statistical standard deviation of our estimate of Mars precession rate has nearly halved, and the rest of the parameters in our solar-system model have experienced a corresponding, albeit smaller, improvement (about 20% for t,he relevant asteroid masses, 10% for the semimajor axis of Mars orbit, and smaller amounts for most other parameters). In the coming year, we plan to continue adding data to our set, as available. Ne 2 expect to use these data and improved models to obtain estimates of the gravitational- theory parameters and to publish these results.

Shapiro, Irwin I.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Parametric Study of an Ablative TPS and Hot Structure Heatshield for a Mars Entry Capsule Vehicle

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is planning to send humans to Mars. As part of the Evolvable Mars Campaign, different en- try vehicle configurations are being designed and considered for delivering larger payloads than have been previously sent to the surface of Mars. Mass and packing volume are driving factors in the vehicle design, and the thermal protection for planetary entry is an area in which advances in technology can offer potential mass and volume savings. The feasibility and potential benefits of a carbon-carbon hot structure concept for a Mars entry vehicle is explored in this paper. The windward heat shield of a capsule design is assessed for the hot structure concept as well as an ablative thermal protection system (TPS) attached to a honeycomb sandwich structure. Independent thermal and structural analyses are performed to determine the minimum mass design. The analyses are repeated for a range of design parameters, which include the trajectory, vehicle size, and payload. Polynomial response functions are created from the analysis results to study the capsule mass with respect to the design parameters. Results from the polynomial response functions created from the thermal and structural analyses indicate that the mass of the capsule was higher for the hot structure concept as compared to the ablative TPS for the parameter space considered in this study.

Langston, Sarah L.↗
NASA NTRS2023

New Retropropulsion Concept with NTAC Power for Mars Entry

Since the initial deployments of probes, orbiters, and rovers on Mars, there have been many ideas and concepts on how to perform an entry, descent, and landing (EDL) process efficiently and safely through the Martian atmosphere to place payloads onto the surface of Mars. Among the missions sent to perform EDL on Mars, only roughly sixty percent of the missions have been successful. The 5 minutes to 20 minutes of communication gap due to long-range telecommunications to Earth, described as seven minutes of terror, add to the complexity of EDL missions to Mars. As the payloads have become larger, the method of EDL has become more complex. To place an automobile-size science rover on the Martian surface requires the use of retrorockets mounted on a Sky Crane during the final subsonic stage of EDL. Larger payloads will require more propellant and more and/or larger retropropulsion engines during the earlier supersonic stage of EDL. The Sky Crane concept may not be scalable for these larger payloads and during supersonic flight; hence, new approaches are sought. A new power technology invented at NASA called Nuclear Thermionic Avalanche Cell (NTAC) may offer an additional solution. Powered by NTAC, the newly invented retropropulsion concept would ingest carbon dioxide gas, heat it up and blast it out as a new feature of the EDL process. NTAC would be reusable as a primary power source for payloads such as excavators, three-dimensional (3D) printers, or mobile equipment for mining, construction, and additive manufacturing tasks. Since NTAC would need to be landed with its host payload or as a standalone power package, assessing its ability to assist in its own EDL seems reasonable. The purpose of this Technical Memorandum (TM) is to examine the performance of NTAC in the context of EDL at Mars for motivating studies for integrating NTAC into future Mars mission architectures.

Mars entry↗
NASA NTRS2012

Antarctic Mirabilite Mounds as Mars Analogs: The Lewis Cliffs Ice Tongue Revisited

It has been proposed, based on geomorphic and geochemical arguments, that subsurface water has played an important role in the history of water on the planet Mars [1]. Subsurface water, if present, could provide a protected and long lived environment for potential life. Discovery of gullies [2] and recurring slopes [3] on Mars suggest the potential for subsurface liquid water or brines. Recent attention has also focused on small (< approx. 1km dia.) mound-like geomorphic features discovered within the mid to high latitudes on the surface of Mars which may be caused by eruptions of subsurface fluids [4, 5]. We have identified massive but highly localized Na-sulfate deposits (mirabilite mounds, Na2SO4 .10H2O) that may be derived from subsurface fluids and may provide insight into the processes associated with subsurface fluids on Mars. The mounds are found on the end moraine of the Lewis Cliffs Ice Tongue (LCIT) [6] in the Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica, and are potential terrestrial analogs for mounds observed on the martian surface. The following characteristics distinguish LCIT evaporite mounds from other evaporite mounds found in Antarctic coastal environments and/or the McMurdo Dry Valleys: (1) much greater distance from the open ocean (approx.500 km); (2) higher elevation (approx.2200 meters); and (3) colder average annual temperature (average annual temperature = -30 C for LCIT [7] vs. 20 C at sea level in the McMurdo region [8]. Furthermore, the recent detection of subsurface water ice (inferred as debris-covered glacial ice) by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter [9] supports the use of an Antarctic glacial environment, particularly with respect to the mirabilite deposits described in this work, as an ideal terrestrial analog for understanding the geochemistry associated with near-surface martian processes. S and O isotopic compositions.

Socki, Richard A.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Magnetohydrodynamic Power Generation in the Laboratory Simulated Martian Entry Plasma

This paper addresses the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) conversion of the energy released during the planetary entry phase of an interplanetary vehicle trajectory. The effect of MHD conversion is multi-fold. It reduces and redirects heat transferred to the vehicle, and regenerates the dissipated energy in reusable and transportable form. A vehicle on an interplanetary mission carries about 10,000 kWh of kinetic energy per ton of its mass. This energy is dissipated into heat during the planetary atmospheric entry phase. For instance, the kinetic energy of Mars Pathfinder was about 4220 kWh. Based on the loss in velocity, Mars Pathfinder lost about 92.5% of that energy during the plasma-sustaining entry phase that is approximately 3900 kWh. An ideal MHD generator, distributed over the probe surface of Mars Pathfinder could convert more than 2000 kWh of this energy loss into electrical energy, which correspond to more than 50% of the kinetic energy loss. That means that the heat transferred to the probe surface can be reduced by at least 50% if the converted energy is adequately stored, or re-radiated, or directly used. Therefore, MHD conversion could act not only as the power generating, but also as the cooling process. In this paper we describe results of preliminary experiments with light and microwave emitters powered by model magnetohydrodynamic generators and discuss method for direct use of converted energy.

Vuskovic, L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

A Proposed Role of Aeroelasticity in NASA's New Exploration Vision

On 14 January 2004, NASA received a mandate to return astronauts to the Moon, evolve a sustained presence there, then head out into the solar system to Mars and perhaps beyond. This new space exploration initiative directs NASA to develop human and robotic technologies that can deliver payloads larger than Apollo to the Moon, to Mars, and bring astronauts and samples safely back to Earth at costs much lower than Apollo. These challenges require creative aerospace systems. On proposed technology for safely delivering payloads to the surface of Mars and returning samples to Earth involves deployed flexible and inflatable decelerators for atmospheric entry. Because inflatable decelerators provide the entry vehicle more drag surface area at smaller mass than traditional ablative devices, this class of decelerators can potentially accomodate larger mass payloads. The flexibility of these lightweight aeroshells can pose both vehicle and aeroelastic stability problems if not properly designed for the expected flight regimes. Computational tools need to be developed for modelling the large and nonlinear deformations of these highly flexible structures. Unlike wind tunnel testing, an integrated and efficient aeroelastic analysis tool can explore the entire flight environment. This paper will provide some background on flexible deployable decelerators, survey the current state of technology and outline the proposed development of an aeroelastic analysis and capability.

Bartels, Robert E.↗