The Curiosity Rover: Robotic Geologist and Explorer

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LIVE INTERACTIVE LEARNING @ YOUR DESKTOP

Presented by: Jordan Evans

May 21, 2013 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Eastern time

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3 Introducing today’s presenters

Introducing today’s presenter…

Jordan Evans NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Pasadena, CA

4 Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology

The Curiosity Rover: Robotic Geologist and Explorer

Jordan Evans JPL/Caltech/NASA

5 @Jordan2Mars Brief Biography…

• Led the “Flight System” design, build, test, launch, and operations on the Mars Science Laboratory Project • Aerospace Engineering – San Diego State University and University of Maryland • Worked on both Aircraft and Spacecraft • Jazz Musician (Bass) • Bacon Maker • Science Advisor • Woodworker • Camper Restorer 6 Blaine Baggett Executive Manager, Office of Communications and Education Jet Propulsion Laboratory Pasadena, CA

7 Why Mars?

8 The wonderful future

From the 1956 book, The Exploration of Mars, by von Braun and Willy Ley, with paintings by Chesley Bonestell Mars Exploration is CHALLENGING

10 Did you watch Curiosity’s landing on the night of August 5th (PT)?

✔ Yes ✖ No

11 Did you watch Curiosity’s landing on the night of August 5th (PT)?

An estimated 50 million people watched the landing!

12 13 Only 50% of Mars landers launched have worked

USSR: Mars 2 1971 (crashed) USSR: Mars 3 1971 (landed, radio died) USSR: Mars 6 1973 (aero data, crashed?) USSR: Mars 7 1974 (missed Mars) US: Viking 1 1975 US: Viking 2 1975 USSR: Mars ‘96 (2) 1996 (failed launch) US: Mars Pathfinder 1996 US: Mars Polar Lander 1998 (crashed?) US: DS-2 Microprobes (2) 1998 (crashed?) EU/UK: Beagle II 2003 (crashed?) US: MER Spirit 2003 US: MER Opportunity 2003 US: Phoenix 2007 US: MSL Curiosity 2011 [launch dates] 14 Thousands of problems to solve.

15 Testing 17 More testing More testing More testing 2010 Finally, a real Mars Science Lab! Rover Packaging Ready for flight Ready for the fairing Encapsulation at KSC ATLAS V fairing Launch Complex 41 NASA/KSC Atlas V Careful …. MSL Launch: Nov 26, 2011 Does every Mars-faring nation use the same approach to get to Mars?

✔ Yes ✖ No

30 Does every Mars-faring nation use the same approach to get to Mars?

31 The mission …. Mission Overview

ENTRY, DESCENT, LANDING • Guided entry and powered “sky crane” descent • 20×25-km landing ellipse • Access to landing sites ±30° CRUISE/APPROACH latitude, <0 km elevation • 8.5-month cruise • 900-kg rover • Arrived August 5, 2012 SURFACE MISSION • Prime mission is one Mars year (687 days) LAUNCH • Latitude-independent and long- lived power source • Nov. 26, 2011 • Ability to drive out of landing • Atlas V (541) ellipse • 84 kg of science payload • Direct (uplink) and relayed (downlink) communication • Fast CPU and large data storage 33 Rover Family Portrait ChemCam (Chemistry) Mastcam APXS (Imaging) RAD (Chemistry) MAHLI (Radiation) (Imaging) REMS (Weather)

DAN (Subsurface Hydrogen)

Drill Scoop Brush Sieves

SAM (Chemistry CheMin MARDI and Isotopes) (Mineralogy) (Imaging) Curiosity’s Science Payload 35 What’s Under the Hood?

UHF Radio Thermal Fluid Loop Spacecraft Computers Rover Motor Controller

ChemMin Power Electronics & Batteries

X-Band Radio

SAM

36 The Complexity and Beauty of Curiosity

37 Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) How Did it Go?

38 39 40 41 Landing area

(photo taken by Mars Reconnaissance orbiter) Curiosity’s Descent stage

Before

After (photo taken by Mars Reconnaissance orbiter) (photos taken by Mars Reconnaissance orbiter)

44 EDL Performance Summary

Rover Cruise Stage Separation Separation Sky Crane Detail ERT: 10:14:34 PM All Times in ERT PDT Alt: 21.5 m Velo: 0.77 m/s Note: gnd solution Flyaway change of ~1m near Impact ERT: <10:32:40 PM rover sep CBMD Distance: 640 m Separation Mobility Note: Impact pattern may be different than expected ERT: 10:16:24 PM Entry Interface Deploy ERT: 10:24:33 PM Alt: 21.1 Delivery error: 0.013 deg FPA Parachute Deploy ERT: 10:28:53 PM Peak Heating Mach: 1.72 Touchdown ERT: Pending Deceleration: ~6 g’s ERT: 10:31:49 PM Qmax: Pending Note: Lower than Velo: 0.75 m/s expected parachute Lat/Lon: - Peak Deceleration inflation loads 4.5895°/137.4417° ERT: 10:17:44 PM Deceleration: ~12.2 g’s

Hypersonic Backshell Aero-maneuvering Separation Variance from Numb of bank reversals: 3 ERT: 10:30:51 prediction Heatshield Guidance performance: Separation Radar Altitude: 1670 m < 1 s Great ERT: 10:29:13 Ground Solution Velocity: 78.6 m/s Note: Possible tailwind/low Mach: Pending ERT: 10:29:21 Note: density during final 50-100 km Note: Separation Powered Descent 1-2 s FS Infrastructure Alt: 8.3 km of flight rates as expected, Duration: 37 Voltage at TD: 32.1 V Error (alt): 113.4 m no tumbling Fuel usage: 260 kg Comm: Great Error (velo): 0.7 Note: Fuel usage >2 s Prop: Good m/s was lower than Thermal: Good Note: Better range expected Mech: Good at lock-up and AVS/FSW: Good lower error than SECC: N/A expected ISAs: 52822, 52845, 53000 (see following) Sky Crane Flyaway

45 Gale Crater and Mount Sharp

46 24 47 Mt. Sharp

48 49 Curiosity’s Exploration and Science Since Landing

50 51 52 53 54 Looking North to Crater Rim

55 56 Timekeeping on Mars Timekeeping on Mars