Description
Book SynopsisThis is the comprehensive story of NASA’s pioneering Mars 2020 mission, which at this moment continues to break ground on the surface of the Red Planet.
The book takes readers through every stage of the Mars mission, describing its major goals and objectives, the cutting-edge technology and instrumentation onboard the Perseverance rover and other spacecraft components, and the members of the scientific team who steered the mission along the way.
Mars 2020 is the first to actually take samples of the Red Planet and prepare them for subsequent return to Earth. The chapters therefore delve into how and why Jezero Crater was selected as the optimal landing and sample collecting site to meet the mission objectives. Featuring dozens of high-resolution images of the mission, this book gives readers a deeper understanding of the technology underlying Mars 2020 and why its work is so important for planetary science and space exploration.
Table of Contents Note: The final Contents will only go to two digits; the three digits shown only serve to help the editor and author keep track of the text.
Frontispiece
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Preface
1 Introduction
2 The Mars 2020 Mission
2.1 Science Goals
2.1.1 Goal 1: Determine whether life ever existed on Mars
2.1.2 Goal 2: Characterize the Climate of Mars
2.1.3 Goal 3: Characterize the Geology of Mars
2.1.4 Goal 4: Prepare for Human Exploration
2.2 Science Objectives
2.2.1Geology
2.2.2 Astrobiology
2.2.3 Sample Caching
2.2.4 Prepare for Humans
2.3 Mission Phases
2.3.1. Pre-launch Activities
2.3.2 Launch
2.3.3 Cruise
2.3.4 Approach
2.3.5 Entry, Descent and Landing
2.3.6 Instrument Checks and First Drive
2.3.7 Surface Operations
3 Perseverance’s Design
3.1 Evolution
3.1.1 Curiosity
3.1.2 Perseverance
3.2 Components
3.2.1 Body
3.2.2 Brains
3.2.3 Eyes and other Senses
3.2.4 Wheels and Legs
3.2.5 Arm and Turret
3.2.6 Sample Handling
3.2.7 Communications
3.2.8 Markings
3.3 Perseverance Stages and Elements
3.3.1 Cruise Stage
3.3.2 Descent Stage
3.3.3 Backshell
3.3.4 Heat Shield
3.3.5 Energy Source
3.4 Instruments
3.4.1 Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA)
3.4.2 Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment (MOXIE)
3.4.3 Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL)
3.4.4 Radar Imager for Mars' Subsurface Experiment (RIMFAX)
3.4.5 Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC)
4 Landing Site
4.1 Site Selection Criteria
4.1.1 The Landing Site Selection Committee
4.1.2 Committee Selection Criteria
4.1.3 Mars Sample Return Considerations
4.1.4 Landing Site Workshops
4.1.5 Final Recommendation
4.2 Jezero Crater
4.2.1 Landing Targeting
4.3 Surface Operations
4.3.1 Commissioning
4.3.2 Science Phase
5 Early Science Results (to be expanded during the book development)
5.1 Initial Campaign to the South
5.1.1 Sample Caching System
5.1.2 Sampling Approach
5.1.3 First Sample Attempt at Cratered Floor Fractured Rough
5.1.4 Assessment
5.1.5 Second Attempt in South Séítah
5.1.6 Assessment
5.2 Second Campaign to the Delta Region
5.2.1 Three Forks
5.2.2 Other sites
5.3 Subsequent Campaigns
6 Ingenuity
6.1 Objectives
6.2 Technical Specifications
6.2 Flight Log
6.3 Flight Highlights
6.3 Future Helicopters
7 Mars 2020 Science and Engineering Teams
7.1 NASA Headquarters
7.1.1 Associate Administrator
7.1.2 Science Mission Directorate
7.2 Jet Propulsion Laboratory
7.2.1 Science Office
7.2.2 Engineering Office
7.2.3 Flight Systems
7.2.4 Surface Development
7.2.5 Flight Operations
7.2.6 Payload
7.2.7 Mission Assurance
7.2.8 Business/Administration
8 Mars Sample Return
8.1 The Overall Plan
8.2 Sample Retriever Lander
8.3 ESA’s Sample Fetch Rover
8.4 Mars Ascent Vehicle
8.5 Earth Return Orbiter
8.6 Earth Entry Vehicle
8.7 Receiving Facility
8.8 Planetary Protection
9 Conclusions
Appendices
1 Mars Exploration Program
2 Planetary Science Decadal Surveys
3 Mission Team and International Partners
4 Timeline
5 Quotes
X (Possibly others)
References
Internet Links and Videos
Glossary and Terminology
About the Author
Index
