Issue #93 of the Lunar and Planetary
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Lunar and Planetary Information BULLETIN Summer 2002/NUMBER 93 • LUNAR AND PLANETARY INSTITUTE • UNIVERSITIES SPACE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION MythicalMythical Journey:Journey: OdysseyOdyssey atat MarsMars CONTENTS MARS ODYSSEY POLICY IN REVIEW TEACHERS IN YELLOWSTONE NEW IN PRINT NEWS FROM SPACE MILESTONES PREVIOUS ISSUES L U N A R A N D P L A N E T A R Y I N F O R M A T I O N B U L L E T I N 1 The Mythical Journey of Mars Odyssey Launched on April 7 of last year, 2001 Mars Odyssey is an orbiter carrying science experiments designed to make global observations of Mars to improve our understanding of the planet’s climate and geologic history, including the search for water and evidence of life-sustaining environments. The mission will extend for more than a full martian year (two-and-a- half Earth years). The following two pages represent a small sampling of the current state of Odyssey’s science and imaging. All images in this feature, as well as the cover image, are used courtesy of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which manages the Mars Odyssey mission. More information about the mission can be found at the http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/. The cover image depicts an artist’s rendering of ice-rich layers in the soils of Mars being detected by instruments aboard NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Measurements by the gamma ray spectrometer suite of instruments (Above) Infrared indicate that the upper meter (three feet) imaging from NASA’s of soil contains an ice-rich zone with an Mars Odyssey space- ice abundance of 20–50% by mass. The craft shows signs of ice-rich areas surround the polar regions layering exposed at the of Mars, down to latitudes of about 60°, in surface in a region of both the north and the south. The instru- Mars called Terra ments detect the signature of hydrogen, Meridiani. indicating water ice, to a depth of about 1 meter (3 feet). (Above) This nighttime thermal infrared image shows differences in temperature that are due to differences in the abun- dance of rocks, sand, and dust on the surface. Rocks remain warm at night, as seen in the warm (bright) rim of the 5- kilometer-diameter crater on the right of this image. (Left) This visible-light image, taken by the thermal emission imaging system’s cam- era, shows the highly fractured, faulted, and deformed Acheron Fossae region of Mars. 2 L U N A R A N D P L A N E T A R Y I N F O R M A T I O N B U L L E T I N (Left) Observations by Mars Odyssey show a global view of Mars in intermedi- ate-energy, or epithermal, neutrons. Soil enriched by hydrogen is indicated by the deep blue colors on the map, which show a low intensity of epithermal neutrons. Progressively smaller amounts of hydrogen are shown in the colors light blue, green, yellow and red. The deep blue areas in the polar regions are believed to contain up to 50% water ice in the upper 1 meter (3 feet) of the soil. (The image appears in black and white in the print version of the Bulletin.) (Right) This is the first high-resolution color infrared image taken of Mars (shown in black and white in the print version of the Bulletin). The image was constructed using 3 of the 10 infrared filters on the thermal emission imaging system of Mars Odyssey. Color infrared images reveal differences in the surface materials’ composition, and three different compositional units can be detected in this region, known as Terra Sirenum. (Left) This diagram shows a possible configuration of ice-rich and dry soil in the upper meter (3 feet) of Mars. The ice- rich soil was detected by the gamma-ray spectrometer suite of instruments aboard Mars Odyssey. L U N A R A N D P L A N E T A R Y I N F O R M A T I O N B U L L E T I N 3 POLICY IN REVIEW The following letter, directed to Dr. Mars Program — indicated that the mission could not Colleen Hartman, Director, Solar successfully be done at this price System Exploration Division, and Orlando Figueroa briefed the unless there is a strong technologi- Mr. Orlando Figueroa, Director, SSES on the current state of the cal linkage between the 2009 Mars Mars Exploration Program, pre- Mars Program. Mars Global Sur- Smart Lander, the initial sample sents the most recent findings of veyor continues to produce impor- return mission, and subsequent the Solar System Exploration tant scientific observations. Mars sample return missions, and unless Committee. Dr. Michael Drake, Odyssey has confirmed the presence an aggressive technology develop- chair of that committee, has sub- of soil saturated in water ice ment program is put into place mitted this letter to this forum for polewards of 60°S latitude. Mars within the next two to three years. public review. The layout has been Exploration Rovers development The SSES concurs with the high changed for publication purposes. continues, although schedule is of scientific value of an early sample concern. Mars Reconnaissance return and recommends that means Orbiter is progressing on schedule, to implement these approaches be as is the Mars Scout selection and investigated. August 8, 2002 Mars Smart Lander. Dear Colleen and Orlando: The results of the MEPAG Pathways subgroup were reported. Human Capital — The Solar System Exploration The SSES notes that the MEPAG Subcommittee (SSES) of the Space process has resulted in a remarkable The SSES considered two ways Science Advisory Committee unity of vision of the future of Mars in which NASA can more effec- (SScAC) met from July 17 to 19, exploration, in marked contrast to tively utilize the human capital at 2002, in Washington, DC. The the differing visions of only six its disposal. Of specific concern is purpose of this letter is to summa- months earlier. For the first time the training of the next generation rize the findings and recommenda- there is a coherent strategy for Mars of Solar System Exploration tions of that meeting. exploration that will likely be researchers such that the maximum broadly accepted by the diverse scientific return from the nation’s elements of the planetary science investment in Solar System Explo- community. The SSES endorses the ration missions can be achieved. Solar System Exploration MEPAG strategy. Additionally, given NASA’s recent Program — The results of the MEPAG Mars reemphasis on education, it is Sample Return subgroup also were critical that the agency continu- Dr. Colleen Hartman briefed the reported, in terms of the concepts, ously strive to present a highly SSES on the current state of the requirements, and costs of a mini- qualified but diverse (in age, race, Solar System Exploration Program. mum mission that would be scien- and gender) face to the nation in its The major topic was the draft NRC tifically acceptable. Estimates of the very public activities. First, the Report “New Frontiers in Planetary cost of such a mission indicate that SSES endorsed the recommenda- Science,” about which more is it could be done for less than $1.5 tion of the “Decadal Survey” described below. billion (in 2002 dollars). The group committee to establish a “Planetary 4 L U N A R A N D P L A N E T A R Y I N F O R M A T I O N B U L L E T I N Fellows” program. Second, the Cassini — Roadmap — SSES specifically considered that NASA has an extraordinary oppor- During the SSES meeting, Dr. The SSES discussed the Solar tunity for workforce development Colleen Hartman was separately System Exploration Division and education through the addition briefed on the science rationale for Roadmap in the context of the of recent Ph.D.s (~<10 years out) to an overguideline request that recently released draft NRC Report flight teams through Participating amounts to $10M in FY03 and “New Frontiers in Planetary Sci- Scientist programs. The SSES $35M over the next four fiscal ence.” This report represents a recommends that consideration be years. The overguideline request consensus of the planetary science given to how a program to ensure would allow the project to substan- community developed between the inclusion of recent Ph.D.s on tially increase the amount of effort summers of 2001 and 2002. The Participating Scientist teams might devoted to science planning rela- SSES broadly concurs with this be implemented. tive to what is possible under the report and notes that its priorities baseline funding profile established within mission categories are Research and Analysis Grant in 1994, as well as to complete consistent with those already Processing — deferred data analysis software developed by the SSES for ap- development before tour begins. proximately the next five years. The planetary science commu- This would result in a significant The NRC Report will form the nity has consistently noted that increase in the scientific productiv- basis of the Solar System Explora- processing of grants after selection ity of the Cassini orbiter. The tion Division Roadmap. The is very slow. Specific problems overguideline request comes very roadmap will also discuss areas have been identified, the most late in the budget cycle for that were not adequately addressed important being the perennially FY2003, because the 2003 operat- or need elaboration, and will be understaffed NASA HQ Solar ing plan has long been approved; it responsive to the probability that System Office and grant processing remains to be determined to what priorities will change in response to delays at Goddard.