Concepts and Approaches for Mars Exploration (2012) 4276.pdf VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING UAVS FOR EXPLORATION OF RECURRING HYDROLOGICAL EVENTS. L. G. Lemke1, J. L. Heldmann1, L. A. Young1, A. A. Gonzales1, V. C. Gulick1,2, R. E. Foch3, M. M. Marinova1,4, J. F. Gundlach5 .1NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035. 2SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA 94043, 3Naval Re- search Laboratory, 4Bay Area Environmental Research Institute, 5Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, email: Law-
[email protected]. Introduction: We describe a payload/investigation that is While representing potentially high payoff for SMD and responsive to program objectives of the Science Mission HEOMD, the RSL sites also represent high technical chal- Directorate (SMD), the Human Exploration Operations Mis- lenge for exploration. A site often mentioned as a good can- sion Directorate (HEOMD), and Office of Chief Technolo- didate for RSL exploration is Horowitz crater, located at gist (OCT), is achievable in the near term (2018), and may be 32°S, 140.8°E at an elevation of -0.5 km (MOLA). Horowitz accommodated as a secondary payload on a mission in which crater is approximately 15 km in diameter and possesses a the primary platform is a large orbiter, or lander “mother- large flat floor suitable for a non-challenging landing, that ship”. The payload explores recently discovered dynamic surrounds a central peak containing the RSL features. The surface features that are indicative of the presence of flowing RSL features of Horowitz crater are superimposed on jum- surface water. The exploration platform is an all-electric bled surfaces of high average roughness.