Biology
Scientific paper
Dec 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufm.p42b..01v&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #P42B-01
Biology
[5200] Planetary Sciences: Astrobiology, [5410] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Composition, [5494] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Instruments And Techniques, [6225] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Mars
Scientific paper
The Mars Science Laboratory mission delivers the Curiosity rover to the surface of Mars in August 2012 to assess whether its Gale Crater field site ever was capable of supporting microbial life and preserving a record of life and past environmental conditions. The 150-km crater is one of many near Mars' dichotomy boundary in various states of exhumation as a result of massive regional deposition and erosion. The primary target for Curiosity is the 5-km high mound of stratified materials in the crater's center. Systematic variations in mineralogy and morphology through the section indicate that the sediments have witnessed major changes in regional, if not planetary processes, as far back as the Noachian. The Curiosity rover was conceived as both a robotic field geologist, as previous rovers, and a mobile geochemical laboratory. It is an integrated platform for exploration (via landing site accessibility and mobility), for monitoring (via meteorological and high-energy radiation sensors), for survey (via panoramic cameras and remote elemental analysis), for close inspection (via a hand-lens imager and contact spectrometer), and for geochemical sample analysis. The latter capability drives the size and complexity of the rover by requiring a sample acquisition, processing, and analysis system consisting of a 2-m robot arm, rotary percussion drill, sieves and portioning tools, and the analytical instruments themselves. Upon acquisition and processing, samples of powdered rock are delivered to instruments located inside the rover body for mineralogical identification using X-ray diffraction, and analysis of elemental, molecular, and isotopic composition (including organic compounds) using a combined mass spectrometer, gas chromatograph, and tunable-laser spectrometer suite. To ensure the quality and accuracy of measurements from these instruments, and their interpretation, the mission has met many challenges in areas such as organic cleanliness, control blanks, tool and powder delivery system robustness, and sample evolution during processing.
Mars Science Laboratory Science Team
Vasavada Ashwin R.
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