Preparing any serious space mission takes more than one year, so now in the American space agency NASA plans to build in the years ahead. Recently we wrote about the beginning of work on the design of the telescope successor “James Webb”, which itself has not yet been put into orbit. Not surprisingly, the other team professionals already hard working on a new rover, called Curiosity to continue the work in 2020. In a new press release, the agency gives details about the tools that will be placed on board the new machine. The list is impressive and promises to bring the study of the Red Planet on a whole new level.
Rover design will be based on the basis of an active research laboratory Mars Science Laboratory, better known as Curiosity, which has earned the highest ratings. At the same time, the new rover will be equipped with a much more sophisticated equipment and fundamentally new means for conducting geological surveys, evaluation of the potential habitability of the environment and the direct search for traces of ancient Martian life.
Seven tools that were selected from 58 candidates will be aimed not at immediate analysis of the samples collected, as is done in the course of the mission, and on the selection of the most important specimens and preparing them to send back to Earth. The principle of the system is still under development, but most likely, the rover will pack the most valuable parts of the rocks in special cylinders and place them in a container. Later in this parcel weighing 45 kilograms leave other automatic device, or a manned mission.
Of particular interest for future Mars projects is a tool MOXIE, which will be set on board heir Curiosity. This device will suck surrounding air, and carbon dioxide to convert to pure oxygen. In the future, so expect to produce fuel for engines and provide oxygen habitable modules.
Curiosity from the outset of their work gives humanity the magnificent images of the surface of Mars. But, as the developers promise, the new tool will be MastCam-Z is a new word in the space photography. This advanced system panoramic and stereoscopic cameras will not only make amazing images with a resolution of 1 millimeter in the near field and 3-4 cm at a distance of 100 meters, but also be able to determine the mineral composition of the soil.
“You will feel as if they themselves were on Mars, and it will be fantastic!” – Says John Gransfeld (John Grunsfeld), astronaut and associate administrator of the Office for flight planning NASA.
Visualization and analysis of the chemical composition of Martian minerals tool will SuperCam. The device will also be able to see at a distance in the presence of rocks and regolith organic compounds. JPL NASA JPL will provide a combination of X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and imager with high resolution called Pixl. This device will determine the elemental composition of the surface of the Red Planet with hitherto unprecedented precision. In the same center designed scanner SHERLOC, which will search for organic compounds using an ultraviolet laser and Raman scattering.
Spanish experts from the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) will install on board the rover analyzer environment MEDA. Instrument equipped with multiple sensors will detect the temperature, wind speed and direction, relative humidity of the atmosphere, as well as the size and shape of dust. Finally, the Norwegian project partners of the Centre for Defence Studies (FFI) will equip the rover deep scanner capable to evaluate the geological structure of the Martian interior in the centimeter scale.
“The next generation Mars rover will help answer questions about the Martian environment, astronauts will encounter during potential missions, and test the technologies needed for planting, work on the red planet and return home – says William Gerstenmeyer (William Gerstenmaier), Division of Research Flight Operations NASA. – There are the resources needed to sustain life, that will reduce quantity of cargo required to operate a manned expedition. Better understanding of Martian dust weather and help plan the first manned flight to Mars “.
Also on the topic:
Scientists overall threat radiation during the flight to Mars
Vegetables on Mars will appear in the next ten years
Orbiter NASA discovered Mars signs of flowing water
Young Mars might be too cold for water
Video Red planet will broadcast drone Mars One
->
NASA experts told that the next generation of Mars rovers could produce oxygen, organic look from a distance and prepare samples to be sent to Earth. Recently, scientists have presented a set of scientific instruments Mars rover in 2020.
No comments:
Post a Comment