Ground Truth Assessment of the Gale Crater Region Using Mars Science Laboratory Data for Characterization of Potential Human Mission Landing Site and in Situ Resource Utilization

Introduction: Instruments and cameras on board the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover give ground truth information on chemistry, terrain, and atmospheric characteristics of the rover's traverse to Mount Sharp in the center of Gale crater. Analysis of this unique and robust data set allows for a thought experiment to determine the ability of a future robotics-assisted human mission to survive diurnal temperature changes, navigate the terrain of the Curiosity rover's traverse, and find, access, and exploit materials for in situ resource utilization (ISRU). The MSL rover has been exploring Gale crater since August 2012 and has observed many different geologic regions along its traverse to Mount Sharp, including an alluvial fan, lake sediment deposits, dunes, and exposed outcrops [1]. In-depth characterization of chemistry, morphology, and environment in Gale gives this site an advantage over others, as we will be able to target resource locations on a smaller scale that would benefit a human mission. Gale crater has ground truth on the order of a 400-micron scale up to meters-long transects along the more than 10-km path of the rover. Although the rov-er's traverse is only 10 km long, with an analysis area spanning up to 5 m on each side of the traverse, comparison of the local-scale MSL data with orbital data from Odyssey and MRO gives a much better idea of what to expect throughout a 100 km-diameter Exploration Zone (EZ) at Gale. This crater meets the general criteria for a candidate landing site, with an elevation of less than 2 km and a near-equatorial latitude of 4° S. Specific examples of MSL results leading to candidate Regions of Interest (ROIs) and an ideal location for the Landing Site (LS) as outlined in [2] are discussed below. All locations are labeled in Figure 1. Regions of Interest (ROIs). Gale has the advantage of hosting a current robotic mission that has confirmed past habitability [1]. The traverse of MSL, therefore, is the most obvious Science Region of Interest (ROI) to confirm and expand on the findings of the mission so far. Mount Sharp is the second most important Science ROI, as its layers hold evidence of past climate, chemical, and aqueous environmental conditions. Exploration of the MSL traverse and Mount Sharp will help answer the majority of the science objectives outlined in [2]. Examples of MSL findings that can be confirmed and expanded upon by further analysis during a human …