It is a great accomplishment to extol since NASA considers that the most difficult missions ever are in Mars. [Out of 39 missions, only 40% was successful and less than a third was successful in landing in Mars.]
The operation of Curiosity is automated- but it follows one script at a time, which is more or less patterned to the day and night in mars. The rover is expected to operate by itself in 5-6 hours every after it receives the command from Earth. The signals from Earth will reach the MSL mainly though communications relay satellites – the man-made satellites that currently orbit Mars.
Mars Science Laboratory is so far the best studied and best tested expedition. In fact, it is the most complex spacecraft ever built. It is different from the other landers, e.g. Spirit and Opportunity, on account of its new capabilities like: sampling capabilities, landing capabilities, and more efficient power source (solar panels that will actually last for two years). The car-sized rover is equipped with 17 engineering and navigation high resolution cameras which will soon help the rover devise a three-dimensional map of the Martian surface. It has a specialized gyroscope which would aid in maintaining the balance of the rover. It also has a chemistry laser instrument which would help it in microscopic work. Its landing capabilities are enhanced with an airbag system, a supersonic parachute which would slow down the spacecraft 200miles per hour upon its entry to a much thinner Martian atmosphere; a 21-feet sky maneuver which would facilitate a safe touchdown of the rover; a heat shield which can resist a very high temperature of 6000 degrees (C) and legged landers (like that of the Viking and Apollo missions).
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| Image from Wikipedia.org |
The robot chemist will examine the atmosphere and rocks in Mars, and how the environment is changing through time. It will search for organic molecules, minerals that are oxidized, or any other big forms that tell something about the process of what MSL seeks to find out – life.
The rover will spend roughly two years analyzing the Martian environment for evidence that the planet is, or was, a habitable place for microbial life. It is intended to understand the environment of Mars, if ever the planet is compatible to life. It also seeks to study other environmental factors that could have allowed life in Mars, and if it could have ever supported life.
History
NASA called for proposals for the rover's scientific instruments in April 2004. Testing and design of components and instruments began in late 2004 to help design a new engine which will launch the Mars Science Laboratory rover and deliver it to the Martian surface. The rocket engine used in the test was originally built, tested and delivered in 1973 for the Viking program, which was put into storage after the successful landing of the Viking 1 and Viking 2 spacecraft on Mars in 1976. The tests done by Aerojet (under contract with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory), proved that the key elements and features that make up the Viking engine are enough to equip the NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission. Other rocket engines were assembled by Aerojet to ensure increased mission flexibility and life capability. Eight more proposals were chosen by NASA to provide instrumentation and relevant scientific investigations for the rover. Design studies were done afterwards to find out how the mobile flatform can house the intruments. By November 2008, most hardware and software development was complete, but testing continued. On December 2008, however, NASA delayed the launch to late 2011, instead of 2009, due to inadequate testing time and budget issues.
On July 22, 2011, NASA announced that Gale Crater had been selected as the landing site of the Mars Science Laboratory mission. It is a depression 96 miles across, with a 3-mile high mountain formed together with the crater. The mountain is made of layered rock, like those found in Southern United States (Grand Canyon) which may allow for a better sampling of the Martian soil.
Finally on November 26, 2011, the spacecraft carrying the MSL left our planet and started its 400million miles of journey to Mars.
Curiosity will soon unleash Mars's secrets, and hopefully will pave the way for future human expeditions in Mars. It seeks to answer some questions like: Where else is life? Is there an analogy between Mars and Earth? What happened to Mars and its waters? -as it thrives to find out how life began, for the benefit of humanity.
The rover will spend roughly two years analyzing the Martian environment for evidence that the planet is, or was, a habitable place for microbial life. It is intended to understand the environment of Mars, if ever the planet is compatible to life. It also seeks to study other environmental factors that could have allowed life in Mars, and if it could have ever supported life.
History
NASA called for proposals for the rover's scientific instruments in April 2004. Testing and design of components and instruments began in late 2004 to help design a new engine which will launch the Mars Science Laboratory rover and deliver it to the Martian surface. The rocket engine used in the test was originally built, tested and delivered in 1973 for the Viking program, which was put into storage after the successful landing of the Viking 1 and Viking 2 spacecraft on Mars in 1976. The tests done by Aerojet (under contract with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory), proved that the key elements and features that make up the Viking engine are enough to equip the NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission. Other rocket engines were assembled by Aerojet to ensure increased mission flexibility and life capability. Eight more proposals were chosen by NASA to provide instrumentation and relevant scientific investigations for the rover. Design studies were done afterwards to find out how the mobile flatform can house the intruments. By November 2008, most hardware and software development was complete, but testing continued. On December 2008, however, NASA delayed the launch to late 2011, instead of 2009, due to inadequate testing time and budget issues.
On July 22, 2011, NASA announced that Gale Crater had been selected as the landing site of the Mars Science Laboratory mission. It is a depression 96 miles across, with a 3-mile high mountain formed together with the crater. The mountain is made of layered rock, like those found in Southern United States (Grand Canyon) which may allow for a better sampling of the Martian soil.
Finally on November 26, 2011, the spacecraft carrying the MSL left our planet and started its 400million miles of journey to Mars.
Curiosity will soon unleash Mars's secrets, and hopefully will pave the way for future human expeditions in Mars. It seeks to answer some questions like: Where else is life? Is there an analogy between Mars and Earth? What happened to Mars and its waters? -as it thrives to find out how life began, for the benefit of humanity.
Sources:
Retrieved from http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1318/1.
Retrieved from http://www.aerospaceguide.net/mars/science_laboratory.html
Retrieved
from http://www.space.com/16868-mars-rover-landing-curiosity-events-webcasts.html
Prepared by: Ericka Jane Angeles
Prepared by: Ericka Jane Angeles
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