Downselection of Landing Sites for the Mars Science Laboratory
Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX (2008) 2181.pdf DOWNSELECTION OF LANDING SITES FOR THE MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY. M. Golombek1, J. Grant2, A. R. Vasavada1, M. Watkins1, E. Noe Dobrea1, J. Griffes2, and T. Parker1, 1Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Cali- fornia Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, 2Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum, Center for Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington, D.C. 20560. Introduction: Six landing sites remain under con- 3°E), Terby crater (28°S, 74°E), Melas Chasma (10°S, sideration for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) 284°E), E Meridiani (0°N, 4°E), and Miyamoto crater after discussion of over 30 general sites at the Second (referred to as Runcorn crater or E and S Meridiani at Landing Site Workshop and a subsequent project meet- the workshop) (3°S, 353°E). ing. This abstract discusses the downselection process, Additional discussion that included consideration defines the sites under consideration and describes of engineering constraints and science diversity further subsequent activities to select the final landing site. trimmed the list to six: Nili Fossae trough, Holden cra- Second Landing Site Workshop: After the First ter, Mawrth Vallis, Jezero crater, Terby crater, and Landing Site Workshop in June 2006, 33 general land- Miyamoto crater. Four sites from the top eleven that ing sites that incorporated 94 landing ellipses (multiple did not make the final list, but might satisfy the engi- ellipses were proposed for some sites) [1] were tar- neering constraints include Eberswalde, NE Syrtis, geted with Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), Mars Chloride sites, and E Meridiani. These four sites were Odessey, and Mars Global Surveyor observations.
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