Meteorological predictions for candidate 2007 Phoenix Mars Lander sites using the Mars Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (MRAMS)

Reproducing Meteorological Observations at the Mars Phoenix Lander Site Using the Nasa Ames

The mission began in late Spring (L s ~77˚) and ended in midSummer (L s ~148˚), lasting for 151 sols [2]. In situ measurements by the lander characterized the local atmospheric conditions (i.e. temperature, pressure, wind speeds and direction, opacity of dust and water ice, and the detection of surface water ice frost) [3,4]. Phoenix measured a steady decline in near surface atmospheric pressur...

Computational Aeroheating Predictions for Mars Lander Configurations

The proposed Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission is intended to deliver a large rover to the Martian surface within 10 km of the target site. This paper presents computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions of forebody heating rates for two MSL entry configurations with fixed aerodynamic trim tabs. Results are compared to heating on a 70-deg sphere-cone reference geometry. All three heatshi...

Results from the Mars Phoenix Lander Robotic Arm experiment

[1] The Mars Phoenix Lander was equipped with a 2.4 m Robotic Arm (RA) with an Icy Soil Acquisition Device capable of excavating trenches in soil deposits, grooming hard icy soil surfaces with a scraper blade, and acquiring icy soil samples using a rasp tool. A camera capable of imaging the scoop interior and a thermal and electrical conductivity probe were also included on the RA. A dozen tren...

The MECAWet Chemistry Laboratory on the 2007 Phoenix Mars Scout Lander

[1] To analyze and interpret the chemical record, the 2007 Phoenix Mars Lander includes four wet chemistry cells. These Wet Chemistry Laboratories (WCLs), part of the Microscopy, Electrochemistry, and Conductivity Analyzer (MECA) package, each consist of a lower ‘‘beaker’’ containing sensors designed to analyze the chemical properties of the regolith and an upper ‘‘actuator assembly’’ for addin...

The CG Mars Lander