Soil, Rock, Lander…The Systems Engineering Leadership of Mars Pathfinder

Classification of Mars Pathfinder Rock Surfaces Using Quantitative Morphologic Indices

Background: The Mars Pathfinder (MPF) landing site was originally predicted to contain a broad sampling of rock types varying in mineralogical, physical, mechanical and geochemical characteristics. Although rocks have been divided into several spectral categories based on Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) visi-ble/near-infrared spectra, it has not been fully determined which of these categories ...

Mars Pathfinder Near-field Rock Distribution Re-evaluation

Introduction: We have completed analysis of a new near-field rock count at the Mars Pathfinder landing site and determined that the previously published [1,2] rock count suggesting 16 % cumulative fractional area (CFA) covered by rocks is incorrect. The earlier value is not so much wrong (our new CFA is 20%), as right for the wrong reason: both the old and the new CFA’s are consistent with remo...

Multispectral Imaging from Mars Pathfinder

The Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) was a mast-mounted instrument on the Mars Pathfinder lander which landed on Mars’ Ares Vallis floodplain on July 4, 1997. During the 83 sols of Mars Pathfinders landed operations, the IMP collected over 16,600 images. Multispectral images were collected using twelve narrowband filters at wavelengths between 400 and 1000 nm in the visible and near infrared (V...

Assessment of Mars Pathfinder Landing Site Predictions

The design of Mars lander cameras for Mars Pathfinder, Mars Surveyor '98 and Mars Surveyor '01

The Mars Pathfinder, Mars Surveyor ’98, and Mars Surveyor ’01 lander designs all utilize charged coupled device (CCD)-based cameras to conduct scientific investigations, assist with navigation of surface rovers and/or confirm sample acquisition and delivery by robotic arms (RAs). The extreme temperature and pressure environment of the Martian surface, the vibration and shock experienced during ...