Spaceflight Engineering 2018 Landing Sites.Key
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Spaceflight Engineering 2018 Landing Sites Landing Site #1: Schiaparelli Crater The Schiaparelli Crater is a large impact crater on Mars, located in the Sinus Sabaeus quadrangle. Coordinates: (2.71ºS, 16.77ºE) The crater measures 459 km in diameter Landing Site #2: Milankovic Crater The Milankovic crater is another large impact crater on Mars. It is located much further north than the Schiaparelli crater, in the flat plain of Vastitas Borealis. Coordinates: (54.7ºN 146.7ºW) The Milankovic crater is 118.4km in diameter Landing Site #3: Arcadia Planitia The Arcadia Planitia is a large flat plains region in the northern hemisphere of Mars. It lies just south of the northern polar ice cap. Coordinates: (47.2ºN 184.3ºE) This area has been a particular interest for many scientists because the possibility of ground ice has led to discussion about water. Location and Setting: Ismenius Cavus Mission statement: Your company’s mission goes here Location and Setting: Aram Chaos Coord: 2.8°N, 338.9°E Elevation: 3.4 km - A crater that once contained water -Clay minerals consistent with fine-grained deposits at lake bottom ● -Past habitability in subsurface environment -Hesperian atmosphere preservation– evaporite minerals Location and Setting: Hellas Chasma Coord:Mission 34.64°S 65.47°E statement: Hellas Chasma is a deep, elongated, Yoursteep-sided company’s depression 148 KM Diameter Notmission much known about it. goes here Purpose To earn more about Mars’ Hesperian period and fluvial activity Examine sediments Biggest impact crater Advantages Research done on distance and time away from other sites in the Hellas Basin It suggests fluvial activity Largest impact crater, may be able to learn more Disadvantages Very little research done on Hellas Chasma May be an interesting site, but not much to go off of other than geomorphology Planum Boreum • Northern polar plain on Mars • Around 1.5x size of Texas • Permanent ice cap with several different layers • Spirals in land formed from katabatic wind 87.32ºN 54.96ºE -8,520 ft. Orcus Patera • Depression on surface of Mars • West of Olympus Mons • 500m deep on average • Unknown how it was originally formed • Theories include a crater, volcanic, and tectonic 14.13ºN 178.35ºE action -12,250 ft. Purpose • Because of the speculation, more information would be helpful to determine cause • Cause could be something completely different than current theories • Samples can be taken of surface to deduce possibly of crater impact/volcanic Advantages • Smooth floor would allow an easy landing • Steep walls around patera could possibly help against weather - dust storm • Mars Global Surveyor and Viking Data theorized it was not volcanic or from a crater Disadvantages • First imaged by Mariner 4 (1964) • Other than imagery no previous landings or expeditions have occurred here • Mobile lander could traverse area but not leave crater - high walls Olympus Mons Caldera • Large shield (built from volcanic fluids) volcano • ~72,000ft. above surface • Located in western hemisphere of Mars • Caldera - magma chamber collapses on itself during eruption creating depression (type of sinkhole) 18.23ºN 133.07ºW 58,850 ft. Purpose • Examine remnants and signs of lava flows • Take samples of basaltic rock and other types of terrain • Learn more about the forming of Olympus Mons and its calderas Advantages • Terrain is much different than most of surrounding land • Probably safest place to land on Olympus Mons Disadvantages • No previous landings • Surface mainly composed of basalt - volcanic rock • Difficult to drill through • High altitude may make weather effects more severe • Makes it more difficult to land because altitude - less time to reduce speed Amazonis Planitia One of the smoothest plains on Mars, west of Olympus Mons Closely resembles the composition of Earth’s Iceland Formed by free flowing lava that could still be present 24.8ºN 196.0ºE .